Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.“ Psalms 115:4-9
Faith can be a wonderful thing. The important words in that sentence are can be.
Let me explain. Having set her trusted TomTom GPS, Belgian Sabine Moreau was going to pick up her friend at the train station. The train station was about 38 miles away.
Moreau trusted that little device. She trusted her GPS when she had to stop and fill her car with gas. She trusted her GPS when she noticed the writing and language on the road signs changed. She trusted her GPS when she crossed the border … when she crossed a number of borders. It was only when Moreau reached Zagreb, Croatia, that she thought things might not be quite right.
Back home the police were about to begin a manhunt for the missing 67-year-old.
When asked if she didn’t have her doubts about her drive or her GPS during her 900-mile wandering, Moreau said, “I was preoccupied.”
This, my friends, is a pretty perfect illustration of our sad, sorry, sinful world. You see, most people believe in something. Some people believe in a non-scriptural god; others believe in their own intellect or self-created deity. They believe, they trust, they have faith.
The only problem is they have put their faith in the wrong thing. They are trusting something which is faulty. They are trusting something which is not going to take them to the destination they expect.
No, it is only when an individual has faith in Jesus that their trust becomes solid and right. Without stumble or slip, our prophecy-fulfilling Savior has shown Himself to be worthy of our loyalty and trust.
If He said He was going to die for us, He did. If He said He would rise on the third day, He did that too. If He says He will someday take the faithful to be with Him where He is, you can take that promise to the bank.
Actually, you can take it to your heart. Jesus’ words are true. This is why, as the Psalmist says, Jesus is our help and our shield.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, many people and prophets have come forward claiming they will take care of us and deliver us from damnation. Sadly, such human claims, made by sinners will eventually fail. This is why I give thanks that Jesus, true God and Man, is so very exceptional. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we know we can trust Him with our eternity. In His Name we ask for faith to do so. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
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