Misplaced Faith

It is reported that England has a new nuclear submarine that is the most sophisticated and powerful weapon in the ocean.  It is called HMS Ambush, and is capable of hearing a ship leaving port in New York while sitting underwater in the English Channel.  It carries 38 Tomahawk cruise missiles with the capability of hitting a target 1, 200 miles away.  She also has Spearfish torpedoes for fighting other vessels, and other weapons that are classified.  The HMS Ambush carries a crew of 103 and has a powerful nuclear reactor that allows the ship to cruise non-stop for 25 years, but they need to be resupplied with food after being at sea for three months. 

That is amazing, what power, what abilities, and can you imagine anything that compares to such a weapon system?  If you had such a weapon would you feel secure?  The answer is that many of us have put our faith in far less of a weapon, both nations and people, and history is full of such accounts.

When we move our faith or trust to something as amazing as the HMS Ambush, we have moved to a very dangerous place; for God has declared that putting trust in anyone or anything other than Himself, sets that person or thing up as an idol.  But I do understand the ease of placing faith in such a weapon, and it is hard to imagine being able to know when a ship leaves the port in New York while you are sitting in the English Channel.  That is unless you are familiar with the unseen God who created all that is and has the ability to know when a sparrow falls to the ground and numbers the hairs of your head, and has already numbered the days of your life, before one of them happens.  And yet many who believe in Him, are still amazed, and put their trust in what can be seen, and never stop and are still enough to hear and to acknowledge the greatness of our God, who loves us so much that He stepped out of glory to redeem one such as I.

Maybe it is time to stop and listen to one of the great prophets of God, his name was Isaiah, and this was what God’s Spirit said to him: “Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils.  Why hold them in esteem?” (Isaiah 2:22)  Is that not a good question, but we are taught like birddogs to hold man in high esteem.  This was the warning to Israel voiced by Isaiah in chapter 31:1, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!”

Now some may need more persuading, so God sent another great prophet named Jeremiah to speak these words: “Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5 ESV) How much are you trusting in something other than God, I’m fearful that many of us have misplaced trust in people, in business, in governments, and in wealth, and yet the wisest man by God’s standards to be born of a man, was Solomon and he told us that all is vanity.  This was Solomon’s summation: “The end of the matter; all has been heard.  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice