False Hope

“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,” Ps. 146:3,5 (NIV)



Earlier this month I went out of town. We drove half way across the State, but didn’t worry because we had confidence that Lola would get us to our destination. Lola is what I call my navigation system in my car. We made the trip to our destination without a hitch, or I should say if there was a hitch it was my fault for not following directions, Lola was spot on. Even while we were in the unfamiliar city we depended heavily on Lola to get us where we needed to be. Then we get to the day we are to return home. We decided to make one last stop before we hit the road. Upon exiting the shopping center Lola said, “Turn right.” I remember thinking to myself “Right? I remember coming in from the right, so we should be turning left.” I ignored Lola and turned left. The GPS started recalculating the route to make up for my defiance. After driving a short distance I decided Lola was correct, so I did a U turn and headed the other direction. Apparently this was more than Lola could handle. The GPS recalculated once again and we were off. As we were driving I wasn’t noticing anything that looked familiar to our earlier arrival in the city. I asked my niece if she was recognizing anything. She also did not.  I continued to drive following every merge and turn directed by the GPS. Nothing felt right. We had traveled for about thirty minutes when I finally looked up at the compass in my car. Much to my dismay we were going southeast! Amarillo is northwest from the city we were visiting. What? How could Lola betray me like that? I saw a road sign that was directing travelers to a nearby town that I knew would get us back on the correct road to home, so once again off we went defying the GPS directions again.  I immediately thought to myself, “How many times do I put my trust in other people and things instead of trusting God and the directed path He has chosen for me? Do I really trust Him with complete abandonment like I did the GPS? “Unfortunately, if I’m truthful with myself, I would have to say “No.”  I don’t always trust in God. It’s hard to even admit to that because if I don’t trust in God, who or what do I trust in? Why is trusting God so hard to do? It’s easy to say, “I trust.” But to follow through is not always so easy. There are numerous verses that tell us to “trust in the Lord.” In  Proverbs 3:5 we are told “ Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” (AMP) Just as Lola let me down and lead me in the wrong direction, we can apply that lesson to the rest of our lives with other people. That misplaced trust can sometimes lead us in the wrong direction. The only true one that is worthy of our trust is the LORD.  “Trust in the LORD forever” Isa 26:4 (NIV) I am by no means saying you should not trust people in your life, but the deep, unabated trust for major decisions in your life "I will put my trust in him." Hebrews 2:13 (NIV) Since that trip, I now double check the confirmed route Lola recommends with a good old fashioned road map. I have learned my lesson and now only place my trust in the one that can always be trusted. “ Trust in him at all times,” Ps 62:8 (NIV)