Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Today’s reflection is written by Jade Schwich.

O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. —Psalm 84:12

When the wise men saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. —Matthew 2:10-11

Trust is an action word. It is something you choose or choose not to do. Christians throughout the ages have been asked to trust in the Lord. This is easier said than done. I think that part of the reason why it’s difficult is because we are surrounded by people we choose to trust and are disappointed when they do not fulfill their promises. I struggle to trust a colleague who has promised in the past to get her part of the project done and then never got around to it. Disappointments like these add up and make it more difficult to choose to trust the next time. The untrustworthiness of people can make the prospect of trusting God all the more challenging.

The psalmist writes that those who trust in the Lord are happy. The wise men who studied the scriptures learned from the prophet Micah that a ruler would come from Bethlehem to shepherd God’s people. And we see that the wise men who trusted what was foretold were filled with joy when they encountered the Lord Jesus. What can we learn from these wise men?

We learn that we can trust in the Lord because he, unlike all the other people we know, is entirely trustworthy. God has never made a promise and gone back on it. God doesn’t say he’ll do his part of the project and then play video games all weekend instead. When I put my life in God’s hands I can breathe a sigh of relief because I no longer have to rely on myself to make the tough life decisions. I trust that God’s way is the best way and his way will lead to joy and happiness. Finding it hard to believe me? Try trusting God out and see the results for yourself. I promise you it’s worth it.

As you work to trust in the Lord, I will leave you with a blessing from the apostle Paul: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Amen.