Can I Really Trust God

If I don't look out for myself, then who is? The Bible teaches that I am to prepare for the future. Yet, it warns me to not let this become my priority and passion in life. In Luke 12, Jesus calls a certain rich man a fool for building more barns to store his crops. The young man said to himself: " You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry,"(Luke 12: 19). God's response to the young man was to call him a fool for his life may end that very night. Notice Jesus's final comment in verse 21: "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself, but is not rich towards God." The key is to seek God as well as preparing for the future. "What good is it if a man gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul." (Mark 8:36)

Jesus tells us in this 6th chapter of Matthew that we are not to worry about what we eat, drink or wear. He cares too much about us to let these things go unnoticed or uncared for. If He takes care of these for those of little significance compared to us, how much more will He provide for us. We are not to worry about these things. But I like to worry. Somehow, years ago I came up with the impression that if I worried about things they would not happen. We have all heard the expression- 90 % of the things we worry about never happen. That sounds like good reasoning to me. But if Jesus is going to be first in my life, then if He says not to worry, that means do not worry.

To not worry is to trust God. To trust God is to seek Jesus. So, how do I seek Jesus? The answer lies in verse 33. We are to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first before all else. Do not overlook the emphasis on "His" kingdom and "His" righteousness. The answer does not lie in other people and their ideas, for not all people have truly sought their answer from Jesus and His word. The Bible tells us that His kingdom is: eternal - 2 Peter 2:11, full of good news - Matthew 4:23, for the poor in spirit and persecuted - Matthew 5:3.10, for those who do God's will - Matthew 7:21, whoever humbles himself as a child is the greatest - Matthew 18:3, not of this world - John 18:36, righteousness, peace and joy - Romans 14:17, power - 1Corinthians 4: 20, cannot be shaken - Hebrews 12: 28. The Kingdom of Heaven is opposite of the world and it's wisdom and values. It is a place where a righteous God resides and He offers it to all those who truly seek Him.

But what is God like? Scripture tells us He is full of righteousness. Again, we are to seek His righteousness and not that of man. Beginning in the Old Testament and carried all through the New Testament, God is presented as righteous. We are told all through the scriptures to pursue righteousness for it is the personification of a complete man of God.

But we are also warned not to pursue the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees for theirs is not of God. (Matthew 5: 20)  Scripture tells us: The Lord is righteous - Psalm 11:7, Jesus is righteous - 1 John 2:1, we are not righteous -Psalm 143:2, Romans 3:10, God guides me in righteousness - Psalm 23: 3, God's righteousness is eternal -Psalm 111:3, never fails -Isaiah 51:1, obedience brings righteousness - Romans 6:16. God's righteousness was thought of as something pure, holy, without blemish, consistent and just. In our quest to be obedient,(which brings righteousness) we are to live by the Spirit and refrain from sinful natures as described in Galatians. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews tells us that it is our faith whereby we are brought into righteousness. And in the twelfth chapter, we are told it is God's discipline that grows us in righteousness.

All this seems pretty heavy to me. Yet, it is as simple as believing in Christ. I am reminded how grateful I am that Christ has welcomed me into His family with all my mistakes of the past, present, and future. God knows I come to Him with a mixture of emotions, plans and purpose in my life. At times I feel like I can not even spell righteous much less live it. I have the best of intentions each morning to serve God and to place Him first in my life. Yet, as the day gets going, it seems all my thoughts and actions are centered on my business. I love my business. I thrive off of making the deal work. I love the rewards that God allows me to have in my business. With all the joy, pleasure and rewards my business offers, at the end of the day, these can never match the joy, pleasure, and rewards of doing business with God and his son, Jesus. There is just something different in the two. I know God wants me to love my business and enjoy all it provides. The key is to be able to seek Him first in my business and all areas of my life.