It’s printed on the money in the United States of America. It’s a given in just about any church or group of believers that claims to be Christian: “In God We Trust.” A bold statement of belief and faith in a God Who is full of purpose and plans. The God Who heals, the God Who saves, the God Who protects, Who is our shield, Who hears our prayers, Who shows mercy to the merciful and takes notice of the contrite in spirit. Who gives courage to the brave and rewards those who seek Him with their whole heart and being. Take a journey through the Psalms and you’ll find Him.
In God We Trust is a powerful statement if we take it to its core and to our hearts. There’s a whole chapter in the Bible – Hebrews 11 – devoted to the deeds of the men and women who trusted God so fervently, that their faith – their trust – stands as a monument to them through time. They walked through fire, torture and death for their faith and their God. They believed to the point of miracles and even without them.
Ever pick up Foxe’s Book of Martyrs? It’s heavy reading, but it details well the faith of Christians through history, mostly since Bible times and even up through to today if you pick up the latest edition. Men and women who did not love their own lives as much as they loved God, His Word, His way, and His righteousness. Theirs has been a higher calling that transcended obedience to human governments and allegiance to societal norms, local gods and even family. Their trust in the Living God allowed them to stand in the face of false churches and illegitimate and tyrannical divisions of Christianity. Their faith transcended fear of death and torture.
People of God, do we consider what “In God We Trust” really means for us right now?
Look at the world. There is a lot of fear, anger, resentment and distrust among ourselves. Personally, I see people putting their trust in all the wrong places. In governments and vaccines they think will save them from a virus. In human leaders whom they hope will save them from diabolical transhumanist plots – a great reset. In policies they think will save them from apparently imminent destruction from climate change. In failed ideologies like socialism and humanism claiming utopian solutions to society’s ills and inequalities. In military strength. Science. Medicine. They are pretenders. They sound good, but trust in them is foolish, futile, even detrimental. (Proverbs 14:12)
To sum it up, so many of us are trying to figure it out and do it all without God. One might say that “In God we are NOT trusting.”
Something to think about. In the midst of elections, voting fraud, lockdowns, lawlessness, riots, protests, tyranny and broken systems, our hearts and our trust need to be turned toward God. We need to have faith, and it cannot be in ourselves or world leaders as hard as that is to keep in mind. God remains in charge.
This does not mean inaction. It does not mean we bury our heads in the sand. It does not mean we turn a blind eye to fraud, deception, tyranny, evil and dangerous policies and agendas. Nor that we leave the oppressed in the gutter. That we never right what is wrong. It does not mean that we don’t seek the truth or speak up against what is unrighteous and ungodly. We must also pray daily for protection and guidance for our leaders, our countries, our churches, our families and ourselves.
And while ours is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, to walk justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8), it may be that God may ask more of us. Would Esther or the prophets or the disciples of Christ have imagined what would be asked of them? We must be praying, serving and actively living the way of truth in all faith until Jesus returns. (Luke 12:43).
Remember Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him; And He shall direct your paths.
Now more than ever, we must trust Him as we walk forward into each new and uncertain day.
