Faith and Trust

Faith believes in God
Trust believes God

Faith believes that He said it
Trust believes that He will do it

Faith is the beginning
Trust is the graduation

Faith will help you stand
Trust will help you walk

Faith is the substance
Trust is the sustenance

Faith will hold you up
Trust will see you through

Faith is good
Trust is better

Don't be satisfied with faith, let it grow into trust.

Trust

A lone pilgrim took a journey from his home to Jerusalem. The distance was very far, but he was excited about seeing the temple and visiting the tribes. The Holy Week was near and his anticipation was high.

As the day drew to a close he came to an isolated village, and entered to find rest for the night. Though the villagers were fellow Israelites, he was shocked to find that he was not welcome. They denied him room and board, which was an offense to the Abrahamic covenant.

Feeling rejected and devalued, the pilgrim resolved himself to set up a small camp not too far from the city. He tied his mule to a nearby tree, built a fire to warm himself and keep back any dangerous animals, and lied down on the stony ground to rest. Before he slept he remembered the rejection he felt and asked God to protect him along his journey. After a long while he drifted off to sleep.

Deep into the night, the air became cold and rain began to fall. It was not long before his fire was quenched and his clothes and bedding became damp and cold. But the pilgrim bore it, and tried to get what rest he could.

Deeper in the night, he heard the bells of his mule’s bridle ring sharply and quickly fall silent. A low, vicious growl told the pilgrim that his mule fell prey to some predator emboldened by the absence of fire.

It was more than he could take. He wept bitter tears. Cold, wet, rejected and afraid, the pilgrim’s prayer changed. “Why Lord, why do you let me suffer so? Why do you reward me with sorrow as I seek to worship you? Why would you let my fellow brethren reject me? Why would you send rain to quench my fire? Why would you send a beast to kill my mule?” Depressed and rejected, he resigned to return home with the coming of the dawn.

Unknown to the pilgrim, there where other things happening in the night. God had judged the people of the village and sent the Assyrians to carry them away. Knowing that they were coming, God hardened the villager’s hearts to reject the pilgrim lest he be carried away as well. The Lord sent rain to douse the fire lest the Assyrian scouts find the camp. He also sent a lion to kill the mule for the same reason.

All through the night God was protecting His servant, but His servant could not perceive His hand.


Moral of the Story – Trust that God is doing what He says he will do, even if you don’t see Him doing it. He moves in mysterious ways.

The Time for Love

The question has been presented to me in a comment from one of my blogs. It’s not a new question of course, few questions really are. In fact it is the age old question of when is one old enough to fall in love. I really hope it helps to open the eyes of understanding and maintain cool, analytical thinking.

First, love should not be conditioned on age or time but maturity. There are some who mature later than others and vice versa. This is important because maturity will determine two other things: What does love mean? And, what should I do about love?

Second, is a person mature enough to define love? Believe it or not, many believe they are in love only to find out later they were having a hormonal spike. Lust will fool you. A person needs to have experience in life to tell the difference between the spiritual sacrificial discipline of love and the sensually satisfying promise of sex. I talked about this in the “Making Love” article. As much as sex and love are not the same thing, when you’re not having sex, it will make you think you’re in love. Testosterone and Estradiol (look it up) can wreak havoc on sensible thinking.

Third, if it is love, what do you do with it? This is also a maturity issue. The more you grow and the wiser you are, the less compulsive you become. Compulsiveness is that feeling that you have to make a move, and you have to do it now. This feeling is the portal of countless sorrows. If it is love, will it remain love, if you do nothing with it? Because of the Confidentiality Laws that govern our profession, I can’t tell of the many marriages that slash and burn because they rushed love. But there are many. Ask around.

True love matures. It loses the fluffy down of cute chicks and takes on the fierce but strong majesty of a soaring eagle. The chick looks good but cannot fly. Nor can it feed, defend or support itself. (ya heard?)

Fourth, are you old enough to prove that you can love? Again I must stress that this is different from sex. Old enough to kiss and cry doesn’t mean old enough to love. Love endures pain, bears weaknesses and overcomes betrayal. Yup!! Real love isn’t a song, it’s a saga. Don’t look at movies, read the Gospel.

Now of course someone “In Love” would say, “I’m ready, I can go through it, I can suffer for love.” My question is, What proof do you have that you can endure? How do you know you can go through it? What have you really gone through? High school? Household chores? What? What resume do you bring to a marriage contract? What proof of success do you bring to the table?


The less mature the less proof, because those proofs are what mature you.

I could say more but I won’t. Maybe your questions will compel me. (get it?)




LET THE COMMENTS BEGIN !!!!!
I know you won’t let me by with all this opinionated stuff, right? Well, come on then. Show me what you got.

Shake It Off and Stomp It Down

The story is told of a farmer whose mule fell into a very narrow but deep ditch. There was no way to get it out. The mule would not climb; the farmer could not lift nor dig the animal out. In despair he decided to bury the poor thing, putting it out of its memory.

With tears in his eyes the farmer began shoveling dirt onto the mule. Yet every time the dirt would land on its back he would shake it off and stomp his feet. The farmer kept crying and shoveling, but the mule kept shaking and stomping. After a while the mule stood high enough to walk out of the ditch to the delight of the farmer.

Don’t ever let someone, anyone bury you alive. For every cruel criticism, unloving word, spiteful slight or venomous curse, shake it off and stomp it down. Don’t react, certainly don’t return. Just shake it off and stomp it down. You are too big to be small, you’re too great to be petty. You’re a giant; a superdooper mega powered resurrected saint. Shake and stomp. After a while, your relentless resolve and resilient response will win you the higher ground over those who would bury you.

“And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD (Ps. 27:6).”