Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1918 — Trusting the Lord [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trusting the Lord

By REV. B. B. SUTCLIFFE

Extenakm Department, Moody B9*r?- fl I Mtitato, Chicago

TEXT—Blessed Is tinman that jfauitin rr” “"Sttt S ■ The blessedness of this text fa for both sinner and saint. The slnudFhas

nothing to do for sal vatlon but simply trust the Mrd ( and the saint has njpung more to dp for satisfaction. The great obstacle to blessedness f is fdgpa’s evil/ heart of unbelief, The Mp that Wiommon to all is of unbellefpteepstisner from sulfation I snd llkewlfa the saint fromjsatis faction. 9

The word “trust” has severalfaeanings. In Psalms 2:12, “Blessed> all they that put their trust in Mfa” it means to have confidence in thdpLord as the Ruler or King. Not long ago a man held the high-sounding tfiie of his majesty, czar of all the Rmblss. As such many put their trust Sim. But he lost the high place and became merely Nicholas Romanoff without power to aid those who trusted him. But the one who trusts the Lord as Ruler and King has One whose title and throne ia established forever. In Ruth 2:12, Boaz speaking to Ruth concerning the Lord, says: “Under whose wings thou art come to trust” HCrO the word deans “to find a refuge.” It reminds one of the high winds and mounting waves threatening to engulf a laboring ship. But battered and blown, she comes tumbling over the harbor bar out of the stormy seas to the calm and safety of her refuge. .. .-i a*? v Or it reminds of the mother bird calling her young at the approach of an enemy and gathering them to safety under her protecting wings. So the saint upon life’s stormy sea may find a refuge under the wings of the Almighty. Safety and rest from an storms and all enemies are bls by simply trusting the Lord. A slightly different meaning of the word is found in Psalms 56:3, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee.” Here it means “to lean on.” The

psalmist found himself surrounded by enemies. None came to his support There seemed no help for him. Tired and weary in the unequal struggle his soul cried out for some one to lean on and to gather strength from. Facing the surrounding, enemies alone the fear of failure and defeat gripped , him until relief came by trusting in the. Lord or leaning on. his God. Perhaps, my, reader, there is no way out ■of your difficulties, hut there in a way over, and yon may tread that way by leaning on your Lord. Trust him, lean, upon him, and the harder you lean the more you please him. Another meaning of the word la In Psalms 22 < on the Lord that he . would deliver him.” It means heft/ *He rolled-hlmself on the Lord.”’ This psalm foretells the experience ofourLoril upon the- cross. He was there forsaken and alone. Even WMMoMdmed to have left him and hls followera had fled. Hi> enemies* rejoicedin his sorrow. The blackness of-ffiidnlght gloom settled upon him. But then In spite of themselVes, his enemies gave voice in this way to satisfaction. He equid roll himself on ttye Lord. This Is his desire for his people today.,, There may not be strength to rise and walk to him, but there Is always power to roll oneself upon the- Lord, to trust him and trusting, find that he not only carries toe burden but to* believer as well. Still another meaning of the word is in Job 85:14, where it means “to Stay upon.” Job could not understand why such grievous sorrow and loss should be bls. He desired to find the Almighty and plead with him, but God appeared to hide from him. How often It is so with Christians. They walk In sorrow’s path and troubles spring out on every side. They pray, bnt the heavens seem as brass? They cry to and can find none. Darkness surrounds them. What cantbey do? As Job did, and doingfound complete satisfaction, simply trust or stay upon his God. - ‘