A YEAR OF TRUST: TWO IMAGES AND AN STORY

Over the past few months into our new year, we have embarked on a journey to learn as much as possible about the subject of trust in our relationship with God. We have dissected this concept through various lenses, using powerful images and stories as tools for understanding. Today, I want to revisit two such powerful images and a story out of the New Testament.

Bible Study Tool

As you open the bible or hear a sermon. Remember one of the tools we have to use in our endeavor to understand the Bible. It is bible contemplation which involves immersing oneself in a Biblical scene through the use of imagination. This may entail envisioning oneself as one of the main characters in a story.

Bible contemplation is an integral discipline that merges prayer and Bible study to provide helpful and insightful outcomes. As we place ourselves within a Biblical narrative, we strive to imagine what our senses would perceive - sights, smells, feelings, and sounds- while considering how other individuals within the scene might be behaving. Through this reflective exercise, we must try to draw some practical insights from the reflection for our own life today. We must evaluate how encountering God through Scripture impacts our daily lives by focusing on Jesus' words and contemplating how they would transform us if spoken directly to us- which he does indeed do so via Scripture and the Holy Spirit.

THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

One of the incredible works that God is accomplishing in our world today is revealing Himself as not only a Judge but also a Great Physician. As Jesus stated, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Matthew 9:12).

When engaging in daily Bible readings or listening to sermons, remember to welcome the Great Physician into your moments, allowing Him to utilize His most powerful tool: Love.

John, the Apostle, reflects on his time with Jesus and concludes, "God is Love!"

God's Love embodies both tenderness and passion, much like a skilled surgeon who zealously works to eliminate anything that hinders a healthy life.

In the same manner, God addresses the obstacles in our lives that obstruct us from His love. Through His love, He meticulously removes anything that does not align with love from our hearts.

IMAGE #1: MARY AT THE TOMB

The first image is the image of Mary at the tomb. She sees her Jesus and wants to hold onto Him in the same way she always has. Jesus, however, tells her not to. He wants her to prepare for a major adjustment in her life. Jesus is preparing her to receive something new, something better - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's main job is to allow the new things God has placed inside of you to be fully released and manifest in the new life.

IMAGE #2: THE FATHER OF FAITH - ABRAHAM

The second image is of Abraham, the Father of Faith. When God gave him the promise to be the Father of many nations, Abraham received it with a simple Amen, a yes! Unlike us, Abraham had no real-life experience with his New God. There was no Bible, no creeds, no experience. He was, in a metaphorical sense, naked before God - unbuffered from His maker, just like Adam in the garden. No fig leaf to hide behind. This simple acceptance of God's promise is what trust looks like.

TRUST DEFINED

But what is trust? Trust is knowing and trusting your Father’s love.

Trust is resting in the confident assurance that God is good and he longs to be good to you. In the original language of the New Testament, various words are used to depict trust - 'pistis' (faith), 'pisteuo' (believe), 'pistikos' (trustworthy), and 'pistos' (faithful). These words all derive from a common word, 'Peitho', that means to convince, win over, or persuade.

A CASE STUDY IN TRUST: THE WOMAN WITH THE BLEEDING ISSUE

Mark 5:24-34

Let's delve deeper into the concept of trust by examining a Biblical character - the woman with the bleeding issue. This woman, for years, suffered from an ailment that no one could heal. She had heard about Jesus, and she believed that if she just touched His cloak, she would be healed. How does this translate to trust? It's simple. Her faith and trust looked like a plan.

THE WOMAN’S PLAN

What did her faith or trust look like? Her plan was meticulously organized and carefully thought out. As cool as her trust in Jesus was she was totally in control!!! She was going to touch His hem. She didn't intend to meet Him or get involved with Him. She wanted it to be VERY private, where nobody else was involved. This looked a lot like her old way of living with a sprinkle of trust. She wanted a drive-through healing. But Jesus had a different plan. Boy did He ever and Praise God.

Often in our own lives, we too try to live with our old ways with a little faith. God meets us there and shares his more awesome ways with us.

JESUS' PLAN

Jesus ensured that the woman's faith was not based on her own abilities or external items but solely on Him. When she touched Him, Jesus paused, turned, and inquired who had touched Him. The woman, aware of the healing, approached Him, knelt at His feet, and shared her story. Jesus told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be free from your suffering." (Mark 5:32-34). This encounter highlights the profound impact of trust in our connection with God.

Therefore, let's nurture trust in our relationship with God, acknowledging and relying on His love for us. Let's find solace in the steadfast belief that God is benevolent and desires goodness for us.

Remember Man-made religion preaches blind faith, but Biblical faith is based on knowing God. Faith is not a leap in the dark, it’s walking in the light of God’s love.

Our Trust is our “YES” to God!!!