“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” — Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)
In my lifetime I have seen some big rocks. The Grand Canyon. Napali Coast in Kauai. Mt.Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, to name a few. I am awestruck by their grandeur, majesty, size, and immovability. Although I realize they are affected by the elements and the environment, they have a sense of immortality…they make me believe they will be there forever. Unshaken. Unchanged.
This verse in the book of Isaiah makes me realize there is a greater Rock than the ones I have witnessed: the Lord. And it also challenges me about where I put my trust. Throughout my life I know when I have placed my trust in the wrong things. How about you? Perhaps you place your trust in your money and status. Perhaps you place it in your possessions. Perhaps you place it in your retirement account, your spouse or relatives, your politicians, your job, or your church. Perhaps you place it in yourself. A wise friend of mine once said, “I have an “i-doll” and it looks an awful lot like me.” Idol, get it? I was amused by this saying until I realized how many times I have put my trust first in myself. Anything we place trust in before God is an idol and that is sin. Tough words.
I am not saying we can’t put trust in others. But when we first place our trust in anything but God, we are breaking the First Commandment. And that often leads to other suffering in our lives. How many of us have had spouses, friends, and relatives hurt or disappoint us? Seen jobs change, finances fall apart, families broken, or politicians do unbearable things? Done things in our own sin that make us realize we need something greater than ourselves to trust in?
I want to be someone who first trusts in the Lord. I have seen His power work when I actually do that. We live in a sinful world. I know my sin and limitations. I know the sin and limitations of others. But God will not disappoint. God will not forsake us. God will not fall apart, God will not leave. He is worthy of our trust. He is our eternal trust. He is our Rock and won’t be shaken and can be counted upon through all eternity. When our world crumbles and shakes apart, our hearts can remain confident, that the One who is our Rock will stand strong. Eternally. Place your trust first in the Lord today!
Prayer- “God, my Rock, I confess my sin in putting my trust in myself and things of this world before you. I confess my many idols I create daily to avoid trusting fully in You. Forgive my sin, change my heart, so that I will turn to You and trust you with my life. Be my eternal Rock. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Prayer For All Days 