By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Executive Director
John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries
What’s Your TQ – Trust Quotient?
(Quotient Quizzes #20)
Life is a choice. We can trust in what we think is best, or we can trust in God. Every day, we have those two choices. While the world teaches us to trust in ourselves and the world systems, that will not ultimately bring joy. Trust in God carries with it huge rewards in this life and in the life to come.
This is addressed by the writer of the book of Hebrews. In Chapter 11 he describes faith and trust as “a certainty of what we hope for is waiting for us even though we can’t see it up ahead (v. 1). Faith is always something that is confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.”
Look at these words – confident assurance. It is a certainty. That’s God’s possibility for us when we make the right choices. The writer of Hebrews then gives about 20 examples from history.
Noah was told to build an ark. He didn’t ask questions – he just put his trust in the fact that God knew what He was doing (v. 7). Genesis 6:22 says, “He wasted no time and built the ark.” The rest of the people at that time put their faith in the world systems, and they died. Noah and his family were saved.
I love the illustration about Joseph (v. 22 -). As he was coming to the end of his life, he could confidently speak of God bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. In fact he was so sure of the security of his faith and trust, that he made them promise to carry his bones with them when they left Egypt. It came true. That’s certainty – no bones about it!
The writer records how the people of Israel trusted in God, and not their own instincts, and went through the Red Sea as though they were on dry land (v. 29). The Egyptians had another mindset. They only believed in what they could think about and visibly see. They chased Moses and his people. Moses was right and lived – they were wrong and drowned.
Jericho was thought to be an impenetrable city. It was by trust that the people saw the walls come “tumbling down” after they had trusted God and followed His plan of attack (v. 30). He even used a prostitute, Rahab (v. 31). She was confronted by God and believed in Him and His power. She did not die when all the others in Jericho did die, when they refused to trust God. She chose to trust Him by giving a friendly welcome to the spies.
Throughout Chapter 11, the people who trusted God had huge rewards. Some of those rewards were recognized in their life on earth. It is quite clear in Verse 39 that when they trusted God, they did not receive all the rewards He had promised them. He had even better things prepared for eternity. Abraham trusted God and followed Him, not knowing where he was going. The reason he trusted God was because he was confidently waiting for God to bring him to that strong heavenly city whose designer and builder was God.
We can insert our names into that chronicle of people in Hebrews 11. We have a choice. Trust in God means we are putting our faith in something that we cannot see. We are willing to go against the prevailing cultural values. But trusting God is the only thing that ever wins!
In days past, people made decisions based on these two choices – trusting the world or trusting the Word. We do the same today. The quality of life now, and for eternity, is determined by that choice. When doubt occurs, trust in God is just a transition to an even greater reward that He has for people who trust Him. Hebrews 11 is a record of the results of this choice. The results haven’t changed a bit!
It’s trusting time! What’s your TQ – Trust Quotient?
John Ed’s blog posts appear in For His Glory each week.1
Contact: JAM Executive Suite 4,4131 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106 Phone: 334-270-2149 Email:info@johnedmathison.org
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