Can God Be Trusted?

Can God Be Trusted

Lamentations

When I was younger we moved all across the Untied States. I often say that I have seen some of the nicest and some of the worst Naval bases in the country. When you live in Dallas, San Francisco, and New Orleans it is usually hard to find the time to run back to northwest Mississippi to see my grandparents and visit as much as you like. But my parents always tried to get as much visiting in as possible, so when we did get to go we went around Family Reunion time.

It was at the Family reunions that I fell in love with dirt bikes with 2, 3 and 4 wheels. I used to watch my cousins and uncles ride them for hours through creeks, and mud holes, over hills and through gullies. And one summer I devised a plan so dad and I had a sit down about it. You see my dad had a motorcycle when I was born, and I figured that since he had one it would be a lot easier to talk with him about this need in my life than my mom who was constantly talking about how many different ways I was going to get myself killed.

I knew that my dad would understand and I would be getting a bike very soon since I had it all worked out in my mind, or so I thought. He was very understanding but he also asked me questions that I hadn’t anticipated: like where was I planning to ride a dirt bike in the New Orleans City Limits? But that day we made an agreement. When he retired we were planning to move back to Senatobia Mississippi and there were plenty of places to ride so I would get one when we retired.

Well four years came and passed and mom and dad looked at property, and house plans, and Schools, and Churches and they decided that Trae and I needed a better school and a better church than we could get in Senatobia. So they started looking cities with great churches and good schools. They decided on Huntsville, Alabama. I remember thinking when we first arrived at our new home, in a Huntsville subdivision, “there are no places to ride a motorcycle around here either.”

Dad started to School at Athens State, and mom started to work. Trae and I also started School and tried to get acclimated to a new town, new school, new friends and I forgot all about ever getting a motorcycle.

That Christmas day came and went without much hoopla, and that evening we went to see my uncle who lived in North Huntsville. After dinner we made our way to our uncles basement to play pool and my dad asked us to follow him to the garage. Dropping the pool sticks we followed him and there in my uncles Garage were two beautiful bows being held off the ground by four wheelers. To say that I was excited would be an understatement.

When the moment was over I asked my dad why did we get these, we didn’t have a place to ride. I still remember what he told me.” Jeremy those are details that we will figure out later. I made you a promise and a father doesn’t want his child to think he isn’t trustworthy.”

As we continue examining the insights of Scripture about God, we eventually have to ask the question, “Is God our Father trustworthy?”

There is a clear answer that echoes through the pages of our Bibles found in Psalm 108:4 "your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

But there have been times in my life and I am sure yours when we read such statements and at best they sound like cheap, chirpy optimism-or like wishful thinking.

Can God Be Trusted?

In times of crisis I have often wondered why God doesn’t seem to be faithful to His promises. For example, haven’t you ever frowned doubtfully when reading, "Whatever you ask in prayer you will receive"? Or how about, "Ask and it will be given to you"? Or maybe, "The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective"?

I know there have been times in my own life when my prayers didn’t exactly seem to "avail much."

When Trista was pregnant with our first child I spent many days and nights on my face praying that the child would be "all right". As the complications continued I kept praying, but when we miscarried the thought did cross my mind: Is anyone listening?

You’ve had a few quiet moments when the same thought inched across your mind, too, haven’t you? And it stands to realize that if God wouldn’t keep that promise then what are the other promises that He will refuse to keep?