In What Do You Trust?
Have you noticed that online advertising seems to match you personally? For example, I do not think a twenty-something receives the same amount of unsolicited advice about saving for retirement. The collective online wisdom about my golden years says essentially the same thing: “Save now - or be broke later.” Well, maybe not the last part, but the implication is there. The question behind the statement is clear: In what do I trust? The advice behind the statement is just as clear: With enough financial reserve, I can trust in my resources. I suspect that you likewise receive unsolicited online advice about what you should trust. And for you, the question behind the statement is just as clear: In what do you trust?
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God
Psalm 20.7
Psalm 20 concludes with this verse: Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call! (Psalm 20.9). The Psalm speaks to the pursuit of victory, and for the king, such victory resides only on the battlefield. The psalmist, though, counters his difference with others. Most kings rely upon chariots and horses - more weapons means a greater chance of success, right? The bigger and more powerful army will prevail over lesser forces. Thus, the victory-seeking king seeks more and more resources. The psalmist, however, trusts in the name of the Lord our God. He, like the other kings, seeks victory but the psalmist’s primary resource is the Lord our God.
Picture this scenario. Two ancient armies prepare to battle one another for supremacy. One army fills the landscape with battle-tested warriors armed with piercing spears; agile riders saddled into powerful horses; and seasoned charioteers cocooned within their iron-clad shields. The second army scatters a few weary foot soldiers with broken weapons. Which army seems poised for victory? The first one, of course. Now, let’s add a single element. A tired-looking, gray-haired infantryman in the second army awkwardly raises a weathered banner that reads “We Trust in the Lord Our God.” Does that change the scenario? It should. But, our human eyes envision this setting, and we still like the first armie chances. They looked poised for inevitable victory. While the second army might be endearing, we still favo spears, horses, and chariots over a sign flapping in the wind.
Too often, we live with the same mindset. We like the assurances that derive from the first army: money, power, and influence. We look into our future and think: How can I increase that army? Such inclinations arise - not necessarily because of ill intent - but because we are human. And while our human inclinations seek tangible assurances, we (as the Children of God) also have the Spirit of God within us. As such, we know the power of the weathered banner - “We Trust in the Lord Our God.” Further, we know, the power resides not in the banner itself, but in our trust. When we trust in God, we know God’s deliverance awaits. Granted, God’s deliverance often comes in forms we might not prefer, but it comes.
Today, where are we trusting in chariots and horses? Might we, instead, trust in the Lord our God? Psalm 20 concludes: Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call! (Psalm 20.9).
Amen.
