“You are just going to have to trust me.”
There are very few circumstances where those words, when uttered together, bring comfort. The audience to whom those words are directed are being told that, regarding a certain issue, they have no control. Further, even as the audience lacks control, the party that has control is asserting their authority for that particular issue. Finally, such statements aren’t typically uttered in a vacuum. There tends to be some sort of history between the parties that influences the actual level of trust.
The County has recently asked us to trust them on a few things of critical importance. There have been issues regarding roads on the island and ferry transportation to and from the island that the County has addressed, with varying levels of input given to the island residents. Ultimately, as the County has crafted their course of action on these issues, the final statement has amounted to some form of “you are just going to have to trust us.” Unfortunately, trust does not come easy. Work progresses on these issues, and only time will tell if trusting was the right response.
What we may not reflect sufficiently on is that there is a much more important issue in our lives that needs addressing. In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he declared that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and also that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Roads and ferry systems are important but ultimately temporary, whereas our standing with God is eternal. Without a plan to address our moral shortcomings, we are in serious trouble.
Fortunately, God has a plan, and John 3:16 sums it up nicely: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Yet, once again, we find ourselves in a position where we have been told that we must trust someone else for the solution to our problems. We weren’t given any input into the solution, and we didn’t even get to weigh in on the problem. God and God alone assessed the problem and provided the solution. Will we put our faith and trust in Him?
Fortunately, if we find a quiet place to calm our minds and reflect on our lives, we will see the hand of God actively involved in our lives, sustaining us through difficult times, blessing us with people and experiences that we didn’t deserve. We look around us and see a beautiful creation that has not simply the basic conditions that we need to survive, but conditions so far beyond that which have enabled us to thrive, experiencing love, joy, beauty, happiness, and kindness. The more we look, the more we see evidence that tells us that we can trust Him.
The ultimate evidence came through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His son Jesus, and our annual celebration of the birth of the Christ child is almost upon us. God’s plan for our salvation doesn’t happen unless the Son first comes to us, born of a virgin in the town of Bethlehem. Therefore, as we place our trust in God and his plan for our sanctification, we will gather to rejoice in the birth of his Son. To that end, I want to invite you to join us at the church at 4:30 pm this Sunday for our Christmas Eve service (and if you can’t join us here, find a service wherever you may be). It is a beautiful way to revel in the true reason for the season, letting God know that we will indeed trust Him.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron