The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-10-14
Trust In God
Lesson for October is, 1860

SluCl lluIIko ID IlOIlSCIlSG Is seen
from the inside as the highest
wisdom. This is particularly true
about trust in God. The nom
Christian just labels this super
stition, but a Christian knows
very well that if he could not
trust God he might as wen not
believe in God at all. The nom
religious person Classics trust in
God with trust in a rabbits foot.
But the Christian knows that
there is an infinite difference be-
tween God and a rabbits foot.
One is the Maker of heaven and
earth: the other only a thing, and
a silly thing at that. 1t is high
wisdom to trust in God; to trust
in charms such as a rabbits
foot is not only silly, it is sinful.
Why Trust in God?
The 121st Psalm suggests some
solid reasons for trusting in the
one true and living God. Trust
unattached. trust by itself, trust
without any one or anything to
trust in-this is meaningless and
may be disastrous. It isn't the
trust that is the main thing. GOD
is the reason for trusting God. He
is the one who made heaven and
earth. We have right to believe
this earth, this life. is livable, be-
cause we are confident that God
made it so. God made this earth
for improvement, not for destruc-
ton. (To be sure, it will be de-
stroyed in time: but it is a sin
to hasten that day. God made
heaven and earth. He knows
what stresses and strains they
can stand. and he does not sub
ject them to what they cannot
bear. He created man, and he
knows what man can stand.
This Psalm suggests a title for
God, seldom used: Keeper of
life" Gods will is always first
for life, not death; health, not
sickness; up-building. not down.
dragging. Life which he creates,
he preserves. Why no t trust in
God?
Hour of Danger
The poet who wrote Psalm 81
thinks OF God specially as a pro-
tector in time of danger. He men
tons particular dangers of his
own time; how familiar they are
to us these many centuries after!
Pestilence = the great killers
like TB and polio; war the ar
row that flies by day; terror in
the night - what morning paper
does not have its story of some
who never expected death but
who died suddenly, before dawn?
Yet as he reads these words,
the Christian of the present day
may feel very uneasy. Did the
poet of Psalm 81 promise too
much? If you take this Psalm
literally, no one who trusts the
Lord is going to get hurt. This,
we feel, is saying too much. Peo-
pie who trust the Lord do get
hurt.
Trust Versus Presumption
1t is important to remember
that in the story of the temp
tations of Jesus, this same 91st
Psalm comes up. Stran gely
enough, Satan quotes it to Jesus.
Satan. you may be sure. means
no good for Jesus. But he sounds
as if he were a preacher pretch-
ing on the text: Believe in God.
Satan urges Jesus to jump off
one of the high towers of the
Temple. Go on. jump, he says.
Don't you read your Bible? It
says land here the devil quotes
the 9lst Psalm, ION their hands
the angels will bear you up. lest
you strike your foot against a
stone"
Jesus knew better. Satan want
ed him to take that ancient poem
literally He wanted Jesus to
think that no matter what he did,
nor where he went, he simply
could not be hurt because God
would be sure to look after him.
But Jesus was too wise. he knew
God too well, to take those words
as if they were the last words
ard the only words about trust in
God. Jesus knew that it is wrong,
it is tempting Cod" to get into
a dangerous situation deliberately
and expect God to keep us from
so much as stubbing our toes.
Further. Jesus knew that faith
full, even perfect service of God
and devotion to him, will not
guarantee freedom from danger,
agony and defeat. Jesus himself
went to cross. Every one Of
his disciples died a violent death.
Yet over it all are Christ's own
great words: BE Of good cheer
Believe in God, believe also
in me . I have overcome the
world"
BASED on outlines copyrighted
by the Division Of Christian Edu-
cation, National Council Of the
Churches of Christ in the u. S. A.
Released by Community Press
Service.)
PRETTY SNAKEY!
Little Chute, Wis.-Farmer Leo