Trusting God Begins with Knowing Him
One of the first lessons I ever taught my children was to never talk to strangers. In this day and age, it’s essential to warn children of the dangers of getting into a car, taking a treat, or engaging in a conversation with someone they don’t know. This isn’t because I want my kids to live in fear. I do it because I want to protect them from potential dangers or threats. But why? I think, like any parent, we know the risk of putting our trust in someone or something we have very little, if any, knowledge of. Perhaps not knowing is a danger in itself. How can we trust what we don't know? It is the same with our relationship with our Creator.
The Psalmist David, whom God calls a man after His own heart, understood the importance of knowing the Lord. In Psalm 9:10, David says, “Those who know your name trust in you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Trusting God begins with knowing Him! We would never dare trust someone we didn’t know, yet we often say we trust the Lord but never take the necessary time to invest in our relationship, to get to know the God we call Abba (Father).
Knowing God leads to trusting Him because if we know His character and believe He is who He says He is - loving, compassionate, kind, slow to anger, sovereign, powerful, and good. We can rest assured that no matter what happens in life, the good or the ugly, He will never abandon us.
Dear friend, take time today, this week, and every day to spend time getting to know the God you love. Start with His Word; it is the closest thing to His heart here on earth. Spend time talking to Him. Go on walks with Him. When life lets you down, be the child who doesn’t run away but runs home because you KNOW the One who is waiting for you with open arms.
It's much easier to rest your head at night when you KNOW the God you serve - trustworthy!
Question for Reflection:
What is the first thing you do in the morning? Do you grab your phone, check your email, or scroll social media? If so, try to establish a new routine that begins with the Lord. For seven days, start your day with prayer and Scripture reading instead. At the end of the week, reflect and write three things you learned about God and your relationship with Him. Then, try to maintain this habit by scheduling a specific time each day to spend with the Lord. It could be morning, afternoon, or evening - anytime. The goal is to draw close to Him to know Him!
