'I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus,
Trusting only thee;
Trusting thee for full salvation,
Great and free'
Frances R. Havergal, 1874.
Trusting wholeheartedly in God is what He expects from us.
The Christian faith is not a bed of roses and especially when the times are hard and situations become unbearable, that is when our trust in God is tested.
Our trust in God is also tested when we are standing between the cross roads of losing something valuable for the sake of God. Such as wealth, property, fame, good name and even our life.
Some people put their trust in other deities for protection, wealth, and even their very lives, but in the end they get disappointed as these deities have limits to their power.
But the Creator of heaven and earth, who is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and ending, has power unlimited to do all things, humanly and divinely possible.
He is an eternal God because in Him is eternity and whatever He gives is eternal. He is the God who says Yes and nobody can say No.
He does not disappoints and will never do.
Daniel 3:13-18
New Living Translation
"Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be brought before him.
When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, 'Is it true , Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?'
I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the gold statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.
But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace.
And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
If we are thrown into the burning furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power.
But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up"
These three Jewish brothers had total trust in God that they were ever ready to die for him.
They trusted God enough to tell the king, Nebuchadnezzar, that their God will deliver them from his wrath. And they will keep trusting in their God even if He doesn't deliver them.
Beloved, the fact that God has allowed calamities to befall you does not meant that He has refused to be God.
God will always remain God even if He does not deliver us.
This is what I call trust. Thus trusting in Him when the situation is favourable or not.
God has already proven Himself to the world in creation and so He is not going to prove Himself again to anybody, so you can choose to trust Him or not.
From the scriptures we have just read, I can derive two basic facts from it.
Trusting in God is a decision and not an order.
God does not force us to trust Him but expects us to trust totally in Him because He made all things.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego decided to trust in God irrespective of the outcome of the circumstance.
That is why they were bold enough to tell the king that even if their God does not deliver them, they would not bow and worship the gold statue.
This is an example for Christians to follow. We should not compromise our trust in God for anything.
Christians give up their trust in God for favouritism, money, employment and fame etc . We relent our decision to trust in God when we stand before our superiors and those in authorities.
These Jewish brothers were standing before the king of Babylon, one of the wicked kings in the history of Jewish slavery, Nebuchadnezzar, with all his power, authority and fame, but these guys did not fear him to give up their trust in God.
They took a firm and tough decision to trust in God knowing well the penalties that comes along with disobeying the king's orders.
Let us learn from these brothers and take a decision to trust in God come what may
Our trust in God would not push God into doing things against his will.
Matthew 26:39 (NLT)
"He went on a little further and bowed with His face to the ground praying.
My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.
Yet, I want your will to be done not mine"
Daniel 3:18 (NLT)
"But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up"
Jesus Christ and these Jewish brothers knew clearly that God does things according to His will. Therefore if it is according to His will to deliver, then He will. But if it is against His will, like in the case of Jesus Christ, He will never deliver.
Let us therefore trust God in water or fire, life or death, sweet or bitter, joy or sorrow, because His will is always the best.
No matter what life presents to you, just keep trusting in God.
Today He might not deliver you but a time will come that He will.
DELIVERANCE DEPENDS ON GOD
Don't lose hope trusting in God because "He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Nobody can do it better than God.
Daniel had this same trust in God and that is why he survived in the lion's den.
NOTE
I therefore urge you to keep trusting.
@henryyeboah
@sirknight