Scripture: Psalm 31:13-15a
Yes, I’ve heard all the gossiping, terror all around; so many gang up together against me, they plan to take my life! But me? I trust you, LORD! I affirm, “You are my God.” My future is in your hands.
Thought for the Day: In Apple I Trust. Please understand that statement as sarcasm, but yesterday I moved all my files to the iCloud, the cloud storage that Apple offers (for a small monthly fee). I have been watching and reading and looking at reviews for quite some time. I’ve played around with it, storing a few items here and there. With some anxiety, I made the leap yesterday. So far, so good. I have a few thousand sermons that I want to keep, along with dozens of other documents, including weddings and funerals. If they all disappeared, I would not be a happy camper. It is strange to say that I trust Apple to not only keep my documents safe, but to keep them so that I can access them. This “trust” did not come easy or without some testing. As I pondered this in regard to my faith, I realize I have done the very same thing. Faith is about trust, but it also requires some testing and talking to trusted friends to hear about their experiences. If you are thinking about buying a new computer and a trusted friend gives you a horrible review, there is probably little chance that you are going to buy that computer. As we walk alongside new followers of Jesus, or simply those who are early in the seeking process, we must not be too unmindful or insensitive to the lack of trust others may feel – whether that is in relation to God or the faith community. Let’s not pretend the author of the Psalm discovered such trust overnight. It took time and probably a few tests that may not have always produced the desired end. Trust takes time.
Prayer: Help me to grow in my ability to trust, O My Rock and My Salvation. Give me a discerning spirit, and allow me to learn the steps toward faithful certitude…a certitude that is aware, skeptical when need be, and testing when necessary. Amen.
