Wednesday, July 17, 2019

The Daily Grace - Misplaced Trust



I like watching birds, an activity I developed while growing up in a forest village in Ghana where there were many different species of birds. In the city suburb where I now live, I recently observed the behavior of some crows that interested me. Flying toward a tree that had shed most of its leaves, the crows decided to take a rest. But instead of settling on the sturdy branches, they lighted on the dry and weak limbs that quickly gave away. They flapped their way out of danger - only to repeat the useless effort. Apparently, their bird sense didn't tell them that the solid branches were more trustworthy and secure resting places.

How about us? Where do we place our trust? David observes in Psalm 20:7: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God". Chariots and horses represent material and human assets. While these represent things that are useful in daily life, they don't give us security in times of trouble. If we place our trust in things or possessions or wealth, we will find that they eventually give way beneath us, as the branches gave way beneath the crows.

Those who trust in their chariots and horses can be "brought to their knees and fall" but those who trust in God will "rise up and stand firm" (20:8). Have you ever trusted someone or something and been disappointed or let down? Who or what was it? What do you trust in the most? In a world of change, we can trust our unchanging God.

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