I Dare Not Trust the Sweetest Frame? (Strength in Hymn)

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.Psalm 52:8

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Psalm 37:3

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Trust.  So many of us have lost trust in other people, and often even our trust in God wavers.  I can't tell you how many times I've been reminded that people will always let you down, but we can trust in God.  And I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to doubt God, too.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. 

Should we trust other people?  Yes and no, I suppose.  It depends on whether they are trustworthy or not.  You are not obligated to trust someone just because they demand it.  If they've broken your trust, it is up to them to rebuild it.  Sure, give them a chance, but use your God-given caution.  People can be like quicksand, sucking us under.

A wise counselor once gave me this word picture.  If a dirty hobo shows up at your door asking for food, he can't expect to be invited into your fancy dining room for a banquet.  It's too much of a risk that he'll rob you blind or worse!  However, you can pull up a rocking chair for him on the front porch and bring out a nice hoagie sandwich, some chocolate chip cookies and lemonade.   He is receiving the amount of trust that he is due.  This counselor compared this analogy to strained relationships.  If someone has broken your trust and wants to regain it, you bring him or her "a sandwich on the porch" -- allowing basic dignity but no true intimacy.  You can grant them a little more and more trust as you go, as they prove they are able to handle it.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

Many of you have endured broken trust in the form of abuse of authority in the context of your family, your church, or a religious organization.  When the person who has wronged you claims to have God's anointing, it's very natural to feel angry at God, too, projecting the warped misrepresentation of character onto him.  This kind of darkness veils his face.  It's time to remove that barrier so we can gaze directly on the kindness and grace of Jesus and rest in what he has done for us rather than the legalistic demands of others.

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

Chances are, if you've been wrapping your whole life and relationships around a system instead of our Savior, most of your friends and family members in that particular context are not going to understand your angst.  They will exhort you to get back in line and conform.  It's painful to walk away  from the security you have known, even if it is making you die inside.  Take courage. Find out who the real Jesus is, he who  shed his blood to die so you could live, he who still searches out the broken to restore them to wholeness.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Jesus is coming back for the Church, his Beloved Bride.  Though we are individuals, we aren't Lone Rangers.  We are meant for community. It is good to be able to trust people around us: to enjoy a warm and healthy family life, have close friendships, and be knit in with other Christian believers for fellowship, worship, and teaching.  Heaven is going to be a huge party -- and then, in the light of his presence, our relationships will all be perfect, with no disappointment, sorrow or pain!  I can't wait!

"And those who know your name
put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord,
have not forsaken
those who seek you."
Psalm 9:10

The pictures in this post were taken outside the office of a Christian therapist.  If you suspect that you have trouble trusting God and other people in a healthy manner, I encourage you to seek out a wise, compassionate, and experienced counselor to help you work through it.

This post is the first in my Strength in Hymn series.  The second is: Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me. 

You might also like these posts:

• Beside the Still Waters
• Dignity, Decisions, and Liberty of Conscience
• It Became to Me a Dark Thing (A Poem)
• Disillusioned and Disappointed? Take It to Jesus!

• Wisdom from Letters of Direction by Abbé de Tourville

• Wisdom Through the Church?
• King Jesus vs. Yertle the Turtle
• Gleaning Encouragement from Scriptures in Times of Disillusionment
• Recovering, Still...
• The Life of Christ, Our Identity in Christ, The Priesthood of All Believers, Submission and Humility

Virginia Knowles

www.WatchTheShepherd.blogspot.com