"In God We Trust"

This past weekend I was traveling and did not get to attend church. But as I headed home on Sunday afternoon I happened to get behind a semi-truck that had “In God we Trust” on the back-close to the company name. I started thinking about this statement and how popular it is in our culture and then about the issue of ‘trust’ and trusting God. 

The definition most associated with the word ‘trust’ would probably be the following:

a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

b: one in which confidence is placed

(See: Trust defined)

What “In God We Trust”- means to me is that I can bank on God- count on him to come through because he has a character I can rely on; he is able, strong and true. Scripture is replete with verses about being able to trust God, here are a few:

Isaiah 26:4:  “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal”.

Psalm 91:2: “I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 62:8: “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

Trust is an important element in all relationships and human interactions.To build trust with another takes time and often requires starting with small matters before trusting another with more personal matters or those with serious consequences if handled poorly. A trust broken is a difficult thing to mend and a trust betrayed may be fatal to a relationship.

Jesus developed some very close relationships with his apostles – most particularly Peter, James and John. We might assume that Jesus “trusted” these three and the other disciples and yet we know that Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve betrayed him. Jesus was not naive about the nature of a person, the scripture says that “Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person” (John 2:24 & 25).

Entrust defined means:

1:  to confer a trust on; especially:  to deliver something in trust to

2:  to commit to another with confidence

(See: entrust defined)

Jesus both trusted and entrusted himself to his Father. Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1-5 is a testimony to this fact. 

Ultimately as a believer both trusting in God and entrusting our lives to God are necessary - both of these require faith- bringing to mind the verse: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). This could almost be re-written to say: ‘and without trust it is impossible to entrust oneself to God. And faith is rewarded by seeking, trusting and entrusting in God.’