TRUST IN THE GOVERNMENT WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Trust in the government with all your heart. Is that how it goes? Not with a 14 trillion dollar deficit. Trust in the state with all your heart. Yeah, the state of Illinois, unable to pay its bills on time is much better, right? Trust in your employer with all your heart. With job layoffs, and reduction in force, and downsizing and recessions (we don't have depressions anymore). Right. And with employers allowing employees to pay more of their health insurance and more of their retirement contributions.

Trust in your relationships with all your heart. With parents killing their kids and people not being committed to their marital vows or marriage partners--leaving at the drop of the hat. And with marriage, that once had some "stability" to it--now we don't even marry in our relationships. And that is cause for more stability, right?

Trust in your church--with so many churches struggling just to survive and with aging populations unable to support the church like they once could and did. And with the commitment level down among the churched in areas of morality and "living for Jesus."

Trust in yourself--like you have the ability to take care of your own self in this world of turmoil and hardship and aging and unhealth.

Trust in retirement--with possible cuts in Medicare and such. With companies looking to cut their retirement benefits, even among the already retired. Recently, a friend said he felt he could afford to retire. But many working people, even ministers and teachers, (helping professions) can't even afford to work, let alone retire. And that is many, many working people today in many, many other jobs and professions.

A guy could really get down and give up--unless, there is more.

Do I know the answers? No, I too struggle with living life and struggling, not to get ahead, just to survive and get along.

That is why I have to keep coming back to the biblical proverb which says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart." (Prov. 3:5-6)

I have to believe there is some hope. I have to believe there is some help. I have to believe for myself, but also to give hope and trust and help to others. As one in a helping profession, that is what I am all about. And as a believer in a God who loves everyone, helps everyone, and wants the best for everyone, I have to believe that or give up.

Yes, I pay the same amount for gas in America that you do. And we too have spiraling costs in our part of healthcare costs (18% up for the coming year for our part). And we too pay taxes and phones and house payments and on and on and on.

But I just have to believe there is something worth trusting--something worth seeking--someone who will not let me down and who is worth serving. I choose God. I choose to give my life for Someone that I have to believe will make a difference somewhere.

I can't do it alone--I have found that out from experience, even with hard work, education, jobs that matter, friends, living in America, and many other benefits.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart"--that is what I choose. It is a daily choice. It is a choice when bad news comes just as good news comes. It is a choice--because even that belief and trust never comes easily.

Trust in the __________________. You fill in the blank. But for me (and I hope, my house), we will choose the LORD. Proverbs 3:5-6; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 27:1, 13-14.

I choose God! Everything else I have tried has been found wanting. So I choose God!