In Whom Can You Trust?

This is the most significant question of the hour:
Who do you trust when everything around you is being exposed and shaken?

Welcome to October’s Word for the Month, and a special welcome to anyone joining us for the first time. May God bless you richly as you read on. At the end there is a prayer, and a blessing on video.

We all can agree that here in the UK in Autumn 2022, everything around us appears to be shaking. It’s a tough time.

We have come through:

the financial crash of 2008.
Then we had Brexit.
Followed by the Covid lockdowns.
Boris was Prime Minister, which led to questions about integrity and his subsequent removal.

Now we are struggling with:

An unelected Prime Minister.
the cost of living crisis.
Energy Crisis.
Current political chaos in Westminster.
Fears for the safety of the nation’s public finances.
The threat to the Union itself: will Scotland break away? Would Wales follow? Will the north and south of Ireland come together as a united Ireland?
Current global economic problems.
War in Europe. Threats of escalation and use of the nuclear option.

To ask why God is causing all this upheaval is to ask the wrong question. The chaos is man-made, not God-made.

There are two right questions:

In what or whom do we place our trust?
What is God saying though all this?

King David knew all about instability, and in Psalm 46 he speaks of things that are pertinent for us today.

`Verse 1.` It is God alone who is our only refuge and strength. He is here with us, not detached from hard reality. He has shown how present he is to help on many occasions across the generations, so we can have confidence in him for today.

`Verse 2-3.` Even if everything collapses around us in the most unimaginable horror, we will not fear, because He is with us.

`Verse 4-5.` In the midst of the chaos there is a gracious and sufficient provision of grace, the life-giving river of God, bringing joy which can only be known by those who have put their trust in Him.

`Verse 6.` Despite war’s fury, with nations and kingdoms falling, there is one kingdom that stands firm forever. God speaks louder than war’s tumult, and he has the final word.

`Verse 7.` Again the reminder: the ruler of heaven’s army is with us. He will never abandon the children he has ransomed forever. History’s only sure refuge is ours.

`Verse 8-9``.` The eye of faith shows us that in the end, all wars will cease. The works of sin, rebellion, spiritual rulers and powers, all will be brought to nothing, and all things will bow before the throne.

Again and again, David speaks of God’s presence, provision and purpose.

`God’s Presence:` He is with us with might and power.

`God’s Provision:` There is a river from which we may drink. It revives and sustains us.

`God’s Purpose:` Although nations and kingdoms may fall, His purpose will be fulfilled. He will be exalted among the nations of the earth.

David suggests that there is only one place where we can confidently place our trust.

Not in current politicians

Not in the loudest economists

But in God, who is able to change history’s direction, causing war to cease to the ends of the earth and his purpose to be fulfilled.

What might God be saying through all the disquieting and

fearful circumstances around us?

Might it not be this:

Look around you and acknowledge that I alone am trustworthy. My kingdom is eternal and will never be shaken. Turn away from trusting in untrustworthy things that cannot deliver on their promises. Do not put your trust in politicians, or economists, or philosophies. Trust in me.

I am for you, not against you. Turn to me as your refuge. I long to help you, to
display my saving love within your circumstances. Put your trust in me. I will
be with you as your helper.

It takes an act of faith to trust him, and His history of faithfulness strengthens
us. Every promise of God is guaranteed through the blood of Jesus Christ. So
we invest our trust in Him.

o When we are fearful about the coming winter’s heating costs o When we are fearful about the rising cost of our mortgage o When we don’t know how we will manage on our pension or benefits o When we don’t know how we are going to pay our bills o When we are afraid of Putin’s threats

Then we can say with David,
‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I shall not be afraid.’
Psalm 56:3-4

Remember the intention of God; the One who has power to fulfil his glorious purpose in the context of a fallen world.

Be still,
And know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

This is not God’s wish-list. This is his purpose, his intention and his faithful promise. This is where history is going. History is His Story.

Then we can respond, eagerly putting our trust in Him:

The Lord of heaven’s armies is with us;
Jacob’s God is our refuge.

Habakkuk suggests how placing our trust in Him, together with our promise to worship only Him, works out. He writes:

‘though the fig tree should not blossom, no fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stores, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.’
Habakuk 3:17-19

Let all God’s children cry out – ‘even if

everything totters and falls, still we will put our

trust in you and in your unfailing love’.

A PRAYER

O Lord my God, I cry out to you from the midst of the storms and say ‘help
me Lord; rescue me. Be my saviour, my sustainer and my provider.

Lord, I put my trust in your name and your word which you have exalted
above all things. I come in trembling weakness, from a world that is being
shaken. O God, would you speak the word that causes wars to cease across
the world, and stills the doubts and fears that rise up in my heart to
overwhelm me.

I thank you for your many gracious and great promises, and ask you to have
mercy on me. I ask you to pour out your peace in my heart, to speak the
word that sustains me, and to be my provider.

Father, forgive me when I have put my trust in things that shake. Help me to
trust in you alone. I ask all this in the name of my unshakeable Rock, Jesus
who died, who rose, and who is alive forever more, seated at your right hand
in glory. Amen

A BLESSING

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