trusting God

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Jeremy Lin, Lin-sanity, and God

Something just a bit different here today. I don’t normally re-direct you to another web page, but sports fans might want to read this interview of Jeremy Lin. The young man is a “come-out-of-nowhere” overnight sensation–at least to the public and the media. His personal story of faith, turning all of life over to God, and desire to trust only in God is inspiring to me; I wanted to stand up and cheer and become a fan. And I’ve never watched even one NBA game.

This story is mostly for sports fans. But it’s also for all of you who praise God for every light on a candlestick burning brightly in the darkness. And for you who want to join in someone else’s journey of faith by praying for wisdom, courage, and steadfastness every time you hear his name or see a clip of him shooting a last-second three pointer.  

The story fits perfectly with our thoughts the last few weeks on trust and faith. I am especially impressed that Jeremy Lin has turned down requests for interviews, even from David Letterman, and he agreed to this one on the condition that he would talk only about his faith. 

Pray for this young warrior. He is, indeed, fighting many battles.  

Exclusive: Jeremy Lin says faith in God triggered ‘Lin-sanity’

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All my eggs in one basket

Aesop tried to teach us not to put all our eggs in one basket. I don’t think he was the first who advocated that, and he certainly wasn’t the last. Today, that old saying is often repeated in the business world, applied to everything from marketing to investments.  Some people even apply this “wise” advice to their relationships and social networks.

But Sunday morning, standing in church and singing the hymn, “Lead Me, Guide Me,” I realized that I must put all my eggs in one basket. It’s really the only way to find the life I want to live.

The first verse of that hymn begins, “I am weak and I need thy strength and power.”  The second verse declares, “I am putting all my trust in thee.” 

Aha. Exactly what I’m doing.  Or at least, I want to do this. I am trying to gather my eggs, one by one, and get them all into one basket: trusting God with everything. 

This old adage about eggs in one basket has been referred to as a “risk mitigation strategy.”  We’re advised not to put all our resources, all our energy, all our hopes into one place … just in case.

But putting all my trust in God is a “risk elimination strategy”.

Because where, oh where, is a safer place for ALL of our trust and our hopes? Our Father is the ultimate source of strength and power, He is the god of hope and the God of peace, He will never abandon His children, His love and mercy surround us forever. Who but my Maker knows what I really need? Who else can keep my lamp burning and change my darkness to light? Who else can release my feet from the snare? Who else can be such a shield? Who else is a forever rock of refuge?

My soul finds rest in God alone;
    my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and salvation;
   he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Trying to gather all my eggs,

Amen

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Scripture: Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV)

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Commit and Trust

Here’s a challenge for you this week, and it stems from a simple verse you have probably known since you were a child.

Commit everything you do to the LORD.
Trust him, and he will help you.

How simple are those instructions? Commit everything today to the Lord. Trust Him. And He will help you.

I’m not focusing on this verse today as a formula for success in every area of your daily life. Instead, I think this Commit and trust habit is the key to transforming how we think about our daily lives…and God’s role in our days.

Let’s be honest. Do we seek God only when we’re faced with a big decision? Do we beg His help only when we feel weak or overwhelmed? Do we think that He only has a hand in our lives when we must choose between right or wrong? Do we ask Him to act only when we need a miracle? Do we ask His blessings only on our “spiritual” undertakings?

Many translations of this verse say, “Commit thy way to the Lord”. Your way, everything you do, your entire walk through this day. Give it all to the Lord, entrust it to Him. And He will help you.

He doesn’t promise that we will always have the results we want. But He promises He is there, in every moment, to help us. Later verses in the same psalm say that He delights in every detail of our lives, He directs our steps, and though we might stumble, we will never fall, because the Lord holds our hand. (verses 23-24)

Wow.

I want to gather up my day, everything, every moment I breathe today — package it all up and hand it to the Lord and trust Him with it. And He will help me, hold my hand, and direct my steps!

Such a simple verse. Yet all of us still have a long way to go to learn how to fully commit and trust.

This challenge is for myself this week. Join me. Every day, before you even get out of bed in the morning, wrap up each day and hand it over to Him.

 

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Scripture: Psalm 37:5 (NLT)