Dec. 17: Trust by Jan Holland

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

I’ve been thinking about this word TRUST and how it applies to the Christmas story.

Has anybody ever let you down or broken your trust? I suspect EVERYONE may have a story where they have felt betrayed or disappointed by someone or something. For Mary and Joseph, following God’s plan must have taken tremendous courage and trust. Mary wondered how the angel Gabriel’s news could be true but readily responded with “let it be done to me according to your word.” Joseph also questioned how Mary could be with child and thought to quietly divorce her, but after a dream, trusted that God directed him to stay with Mary and make her his wife. What about the shepherds in the field? They trusted the angel of the Lord and went to the manger to see the baby who was born. And later the wise men trusted the star in the east to guide them to the Christ child; then wisely trusted their intuition not to report back to King Herod.

Is it possible for us to have this kind of trust? Where people may fail, God never will!

Pray with me: Dear Father God, please help us to have the trust that Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men modeled for us in the Christmas story. Help us to have steadfast faith, to seek your will and to face life’s challenges, believing that nothing is impossible with you! Amen

— Jan Holland