Learning to Trust the Lord

In what areas do you struggle to trust in God? When are you tempted to put your trust in your possessions or power or piety? This struggle of faith is common for all of us. “We can't trust in God unless we stop depending on people, on wealth, on worldly methods, or even on ourselves. Sometimes it takes losing everything to learn this lesson. It is only when we see how insufficient the things of this world are for securing our salvation and happiness that we can see how sufficient God is for our well being. Only He can save our souls. Only He can give us those things that will really make us happy. Only He can protect us from the enemy. Only He can bring life out of death. Our God is mighty' (Table Talk, February, 1999).

This passage teaches us to trust in God in a progression of poetic comparisons. First, God's holy judgment destroys Assyria, but cleanses Israel. Second, God uses His power to attack Assyria, but uses His power to defend of Israel.

Application:

1. God's holiness prompts us to have hope when the light of the church seems to dim, or the glory of the bride seems to be smudged. God will act in such a way that cleanses His bride.
2. God exercises His power in defense of His people but to the destruction of His enemies. Even states and nations as mighty as ours will not stand in the judgment of God if they are wicked.
   3.The return of the Jews. Partial fulfillment of this took place at the return of the remnant to the Promised Land. They put away idolatry and called on the name of the Lord in spirit and in truth. But there is also an element of further anticipation. Paul quotes this in Romans 9 concerning the future conversion the Jews.