Trusting in Him
Adapted from a sermon by Fr Jonathan Ishak
There are many temptations that plague youth, but the church provides a safe haven for their protection. Through life’s difficulties, why should we trust in God? The Lord specifically asked us to trust in Him. He is honest in this and promises that we will see miracles. The Lord told us: I am your shepherd, trust in me. I am your father, trust in me. I engraved you on the palms of my hands, trust in me. Be still and see the hand of the Lord. The Lord promised that His eyes are on us from the beginning of the year to its end.
If you go to a doctor or specialist and they refer you for an operation, you trust in the advice of your physician. How much more should we trust in the words of God. The Lord tells us that we are under His care all the days of our life. How much do we rely on this promise?
There are many stories in the Bible of people who trusted in the Lord and were never put down. Peter is a perfect hero when it comes to trusting in the Lord. Peter wanted to walk on water and when he set his eyes on God, he was able to walk over the water. As soon as he trusted himself, he fell, but the Lord grabbed his hand and said: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt.”
When the Lord asked Peter to bring him a donkey from the neighboring town, Peter trusted in God’s words, as the Lord said: If anyone asks you why you are taking it, tell them the master has need of it. It’s like going to a neighbor’s house and grabbing their car to use. Peter trusted in God although the situation was not easy.
Elijah trusted in God when the widow only had a small amount of flour and oil. This small amount of flour and oil lasted three and a half years. This is trust in the Lord.
We should trust in the Lord out of personal experience. We may have gone through an exam but trusting in the Lord gave us peace and success. We may have driven through a red light but the Lord protected us from upcoming traffic. Personal experience helps us trust in the Lord more.
Now how can I practice trusting in the Lord?
Remember a simple sentence: “The Lord is my shepherd.” To be a shepherd means to protect the sheep from other wild animals. To be a shepherd means to guide the sheep to plentiful food and water. David summarises how we should trust in the Lord through Psalm 23, for the Lord is my shepherd and he takes me through green pastures. It is the LORD who is my shepherd as He protects me from the traps of Satan. Without the Lord being my shepherd, I cannot do anything.
We conclude with a story. There was once a youth who finished university lectures very late at night. She had to walk through a deserted tunnel to get home. On her way home, she found a scary man standing in the tunnel. Immediately, she did the sign of the cross and she began to pray as she walked past the man. Thankfully, she arrived home safely. The next day, she was reading the morning herald and she found that there was a rape in the same tunnel, just a few minutes after she had walked through it. She immediately called the police station and described the man whom she had seen, just a few minutes before the rape incident. The police were able to track down the man. The young youth was able to question the scary man by saying: “I walked through the tunnel just a few minutes earlier, why did you not dare to touch me?” The man answered: “How can I have touched you. I saw two big men walking aside you through that tunnel.” Immediately, the young youth understood that trusting in God brings her protection. God never disappoints those who put their trust in Him.
