For the obedient child of God, this really is the bottom line, time and time again through life: simply trusting in our heavenly Father.

“O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust. . .”  [Ps. 7:1]

As busy wives, mothers, or grandmothers, we are used to being very active.  We have lots of things to do each day just to feed, clothe, and care for our families. We can’t be passive!  We can’t say, “Well, I guess somebody will probably clean this house today.”  Or, “I don’t think the baby will get hurt climbing up the stairs.”  No, we must take action!  Maybe that’s partly why it’s hard to trust God in our lives. Trusting God is not always an action. Often we have to quietly wait as we trust Him.  It’s often not something we can physically do (although sometimes it is).

What does it mean to trust God?  What IS trust?

To take refuge.   “The LORD also will be. . .a refuge in times of trouble.  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee:”  [Ps. 9:9-10] We should be so thankful that we know the name of the Lord!  When we are bombarded, when we need a place of peace and shelter, we know where to go to take refuge. 

         We visited some caverns a few times in the past few years.  One of the remarkable things about the caverns is that as soon as you enter and start stepping down into the earth, the temperature becomes a steady 54 degrees.  No matter how hot or cold, rainy or stormy it is outside, under the earth it stays constant. It is so calm and quiet underground. That is the kind of refuge our God is; no matter what storms are raging around us, on the inside He gives us a peace that is constant. “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me;” [Ps. 27:5a]

To lean on.  I think of a child sleeping in the arms of his mother as she gently rocks him.  He is completely relaxed and peaceful in her arms. When our strength is depleted, we have a Strong Tower to lean on.

To roll on.  What do we need to roll on the Lord?  Burdens that we carry each day, whatever they may be, need to be given to the Lord!  We all have them.  Should we keep the “small” burdens for ourselves and only give God the really heavy ones?  No, we can roll them all on Him!

To stay upon.  “He shall set me upon a rock.”  [Ps. 27:5] When things seem out of control, we have a Rock that will never be shaken!  “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock;” [Ps. 28:1]

         I remember as a teenager, out in southern California, we had some pretty enormous rocks around our house.  In fact, you could see depressions in the granite where Indians had ground their grain centuries ago!  Those rocks were big enough and smooth enough to set up a few lawn chairs on top of them and enjoy the view!  Our God is an eternal rock-- the Rock of Ages, and we can always be stayed upon Him.