What is Trust?

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

To the unbeliever, the notion of “trust” in God is a challenge to Him to grant what one wants. When Jesus hung nailed to the cross, passerby hurled abuse at Him: “Come down. Save yourself!” The chief priests, lawyers and elders (learned, logical leaders) mocked Him: “King of Israel, indeed! Let Him come down now from the cross and then we will believe Him. Did He trust in God? Let God rescue Him.” (Matt. 27:42-43).

Real trust yields utterly to the one trusted. All desire is turned over to that one, believing his ability to manage, control, and finally to accomplish what is best. When we pray, we should beware lest we line ourselves up with the mockers of Jesus---“If You do such and such, then I will trust You!” We need to learn rather to let God rescue us in His own way. It may not be escape from suffering, but death---followed by so much more glorious a rescue---resurrection!

Lord, teach me this trust.

The Way Appointed

It was at the supper with Jesus’ disciples, on the night before He was crucified, that He told them He was going “the way appointed.” That meant betrayal, by one of the very men sharing the same meal with Him, and crucifixion, at the hands of others who had arranged to pay this man. Yet in and through those terrible things that were to happen to Him, Jesus never for a moment thought of Himself as solely in their hands, at their mercy. He was held in the will of the Father. There was sovereign purpose in it all; the way He must travel was no accident of fate. It was appointed, assigned, a date with destiny. He accepted it as such.

What agonies we would spare ourselves if we would remember that ours, too, is a way appointed. We need not ever imagine that our circumstances are in any other hands than those that held the beloved Son obedient unto death.

Give and Give and Give

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

Having been asked to speak to a group of ministers’ wives, I asked the young wife of a minister what she would want to say to them. Many young people nowadays, I said, have grown up without any idea of hardship or sacrifice, and when it is required of them in the Lord’s service, they rebel.
“Tell them to give and give and give, not expecting anything in return, “the young woman said.

“But what if they say ‘I’m having a really hard time with this. I’m struggling, I’m not really sure I can do that?”

“Tell them ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.’”

It was a clear word, spoken with the conviction of obedience. This young woman knows the struggle. She has experienced rejection and ingratitude. But she knows the truth of God’s promise of strength.

Recognition

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

The temptation comes at us daily in some form or other to stand on our so-called rights, to desire to be appreciated for what we think we are, and to be given our “proper” place. This was what the mother of James and John was looking for---not for herself, but (for a mother this comes to almost the same thing) for her sons. She asked Jesus to assign them seats in heaven (see Matt. 20). Jesus answered that the privilege was not His to grant. He used the incident to teach the lesson we need every day: don’t bother about making the weight of your “authority” felt. Forget about “who you are.” Don’t give a moment’s thought to rights if you are in earnest about following Me, for I am the one, remember, who came to serve and to give up---not only My position with the Father, not only all My “rights” and My very glory, but My life. Do you feel you deserve to be first? Be a servant. Give up everything. Together, then, we will enter into joy!

The Eye of the Needle

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

A husband and wife came seeking counsel for their marriage. As they told their story, fear and pride were revealed as the root causes of strife. The healing of that fear and the renunciation of that pride seemed utter impossibilities----just as impossible as for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven, weighed down as he is with much baggage.

This man and woman are weighed down too, yet wanting very much to rescue their home, to do God’s will, to enter the Kingdom. It is, quite simply, impossible---“with men.” But it is possible with God. He who calls us higher, beckons us in the direction of holiness and joy, is able to restore us, able to save, able to do more than we can ask or think, able to make even a camel go through the eye of a needle.

At Every Stage of the Journey

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

What matters in life is that we should stick with the Lord. Where He goes, we follow. When He says halt, we halt. This is how it was with Israel ---as He led them all those years in the wilderness of their journey to the Promised Land, they moved when the pillar of cloud and fire moved, and they camped when it stood still. The most amazing thing about that story is the most amazing thing about ours ---The Lord of Hosts is with us! The pillar of cloud, visible by day, had fire in it at night, so “the Israelites could see it at every stage of their journey” (Exodus 40:38).

Some stops of our wilderness saga seem very difficult and very lonely. We look in vain for any indication around us that the presence of the Lord is still there. Where has He gone? Did we miss the way? Has He forgotten to be gracious? There is no “pillar” for us. But oh yes, there is ---it is His unbreakable Word. Hold on to that. Count on it. Believe it. That is our pillar of the proof of His presence: “Be assured, I am with you always, to the end of time” (Matthew 28:20)

That promise, like the wonderful cloud with fire in it, is for every journey. That means today.

The Music of His Promises

The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot

On dark days when the only song we feel like singing is a dirge, we can pray, “Let the music of thy promises be on my tongue” (Ps. 119:172). This is no tear-jerking ballad of how I’m feeling. The promises of God will lift me right out of sad sentimentality and put music in my mouth if I will think steadily on them. Here’s one to sing: “Unfailing love enfolds him who trusts in the Lord” (Ps. 32:10).

Do you feel nothing of the kind? When did the validity of the Eternal Word rest on the mood of one of His poor children?

Let the promise be the song you sing. He will hear it and make it true for you.