On Whom Do You Trust?

Rabshakeh, a spokesman for the king of Assyria, said to the men of Judah, “Now on whom dost thou trust?” (2 Kings 18:20). Rabshakeh told them they could not trust in Egypt to help them, nor could they trust in the Lord their God. Things did actually look very dark for the people of Jerusalem. The question was very good: who or what were they trusting in? The Assyrians were trusting in their past victories and in the number of their soldiers. They placed God on the same level as the heathen gods which had not saved other nations. They trusted in themselves and their own idols. The Assyrian king sent a message to Hezekiah, mocking him and his trust in the true God. Hezekiah prayed to God asking Him to deliver him from this powerful enemy. God heard his prayer and that night He sent an angel into the camp of the Assyrians and smote 185,000 of them. What remained of the Assyrian army left the next day.

To trust is to have a firm reliance on the integrity, ability or character of a person or thing. The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). We are to place our reliance on God alone. Too often we find ourselves leaning on our own understanding. We trust in our past accomplishment, thinking that we will be able to do the same in the next hard time. Too often we find ourselves trusting in our own abilities or position. On whom do you trust? Those of us writing for ‘Gospel News’, those of us in the mission field, and all growing up in ecclesias, must trust God for understanding and wisdom. Teachers/elders must trust in God for strength and wisdom every day, not in years of experience and their own abilities. Parents must trust in God for patience and understanding to direct their families in the right way. Anything we do as a result of leaning on our own understanding will not have God’s blessing.

• No matter what we are seeing around us, we should say: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5)

• No matter the terrorism in Nigeria: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:5). “Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4).

• Work for no pay in the crisis in Nigeria: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Now, on whom do you trust? Is there enough oil in your lamp?

Do you and me really trust the words of the angels in the book of Acts 1:10-11. “But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broke into” (Matthew 24:42-44). “Therefore, you also be ready, for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Trust the Lord, do not say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’” (2 Peter 3:48). “As the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the son of man” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Trust the Lord and do not be so busy with the things of this life that you forget to put oil in your lamps.

Bro Gaius Egwu (Ohafia, Nigeria)