Motivation & Track Record

Is Jesus trustworthy? He tells us to trust him. “Trust God; trust also in me.” He tells his disciples to trust him, even as he’s preparing to leave them. Can we trust him? Is he trustworthy?

Well, what’s his motivation? What drives Jesus? What does he want from me? Why does he want a relationship with me? What moves him to act on my behalf?

Love.

Pure, unlimited, unconditional, boundless, selfless, sacrificial love. Love. How long and high and wide and deep is this love? This love that surpasses knowledge. This love of Christ that can’t be overcome by death or life or trouble or hardship or angels or demons or any of that other stuff listed in Romans 8. Love. Love for you and me that is so great it compelled Jesus to give up everything to die on the cross.

Jesus doesn’t want your money. Jesus doesn’t want your house or your car. He’s not trying to take what’s yours and make it his. Jesus has never one time ever done anything in his own self interest. Never. He gave up all his rights, all his privilege, his status, his glory, his wants, needs, desires. He gave up everything, freely, willingly, because he loves us.

Now, what about his track record? To me, that’s the ultimate test of someone’s trustworthiness. Character. Integrity. Our past together. His track record. And each one of us has our own experiences with God’s Son. But I’ll share mine.

Everytime he’s ever warned me that something is harmful to me by calling it sin, he’s been exactly right. Every time. When his words tell me to make the better and tougher choice, he’s been right. Every time. When he tells me he’ll take care of me, that I’ll always have everything I need, he’s been right. Every time. He’s always right. He’s never been wrong. Sometimes it takes years to see it. But he’s always right. I look back at some of the rougher times in my life with Christ and I see clearly that things couldn’t have gone any other way.

Jesus says, “Trust me.”

And we don’t have to. We’re free to give in to our doubts and cynicism and skepticism and live our lives that way. We can. Some of us are. Or we can leap out in faith into his waiting and trustworthy arms.

Peace,

Allan

2 Comments

  1. Rob's Dad

    So let’s peel the onion (what a shameless plug) – why don’t we trust? What keeps us from reaching out?

  2. Howard

    “Why don’t we trust?” We don’t believe. Jesus said if you just had a little (real) belief you could move a mountain. When he said it, he meant literally move a literal mountain. Peter did fine walking on the water until he started disbelieving.

    Belief (IMHO) means “that upon which one is prepared to act.” Belief only exists if it produces action. Otherwise it is a sham. James said as much (faith without works).

    Peter’s action was stepping out of the boat. I suspect his doubt was when he stopped putting one foot in front of the other, and, instead, stopped walking and started looking at the waves.

    Throughout the Bible (from beginning to end) God interacted with his people. He talked to them and produced miracles for them. Never during those thousands of years did he suggest he would ever stop doing so. We have santitized our faith requirements by removing any expectation of real interaction with God. We are afraid to actually expect God to act for fear we will be disappointed. We are afraid to act. We know God will not act. We do not believe.

    Peter could not have sat in the boat and lectured himself on “trusting more”. He had to act. Until he acted, there was no faith. Until we pray with expectation that our prayers will be answered, we have not acted. If we claim to believe, we must act as if we do.

    Howard

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