In God We Trust

Hello, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading, titled In God We Trust, was written by James Banks. In the early days of the American Revolutionary War, an expedition was launched against British forces in Quebec. When the expedition passed through Newburyport, Massachusetts, on the way to Canada, they visited the tomb of the renowned evangelist George Whitfield.

Whitfield's coffin was opened, and his clerical collar and cuffs were removed. The clothing was cut in pieces and distributed in the mistaken belief that it could somehow give the soldiers success. The expedition failed, but what the soldiers did demonstrates our human tendency to trust in something less than a relationship with God, money, or human strength, or even religious traditions for our ultimate well-being. God cautioned his people against this when invasion from Assyria threatened, and they sought Pharaoh's help instead of turning from their sins and turning personally to him. We find these words in Isaiah chapter 30. This is what the sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.

But you would have none of it. You said, No, we will flee on horses. Therefore you will flee. Their, quote, expedition failed as well, just as God said it would, and Assyria overwhelmed Judah. But God also told his people, The Lord longs to be gracious to you. Even when we have trusted in lesser things, God still holds out his hand to help us return to him. Blessed are all who wait for him.

Our scripture reading for today is from Isaiah chapter 30, verses 1-5, and verses 15-18. Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my spirit, heaping sin upon sin, who go down to Egypt without consulting me, who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge. But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame. Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace.

Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hainas, everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace. Now, let's pray. Dear God, we thank you for your grace and mercy, and it's in you that we really do trust. Would you help us to rely entirely on you for all we need today, and instead of serving our own selfish desires, would you help us to live only to serve you? Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray and trust. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.