“In God We Trust” first appeared on United States currency in 1864 and has been the official motto of America since 1956.  Sadly, for several decades now, those have just been words and not reflective of who we are as a country.  The truth is, despite lip service to the contrary, most people in this country do not truly trust in God.  Nevertheless, as Christians in a foreign land (our real citizenship is in heaven – Philippians 3:20), we should, both in word and deed, trust in God.

Psalm 62:6-8 (ESV)
⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. ⁷ On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. ⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

These verses are all about trusting God.  David mentions three areas where we need to trust God.  First, we need to trust God to be our rock.  We can lean on Him in difficult times when it feels like we are going to collapse under the weight of all of our pains and problems.  At times life can be plain tiring.  Sometimes death creeps into our lives.  At other times sickness sneaks in the back door.  Then, there are times when family problems become an unwanted guest in our homes.  Debt often parks itself in our living room, falling on the couch and throwing its feet up on the coffee table as if it plans to stay for a while.  We can just get tired of it all.  Our bodies and minds get tired, and, sometimes, we just feel tired all over.  It is during these times that we must remember that God is our rock.

Next, we need to trust God to be our refuge.  A refuge is somewhere you go for protection.  God protects us, not so much from a physical standpoint (though I strongly believe in the providential care of God), but, more so, from a spiritual standpoint.  Our greatest threat is Satan.  He is on the attack constantly, day and night, trying to destroy us spiritually.  We can fight against the devil, though, and win the battle because we have God on our side.  John once said, “for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).   Maybe Satan can defeat us when we stand against him alone; but, when we stand with God in Christ, we are fully protected (John 10:25-29; Romans 8:1).

Finally, David says that God is our salvation.  He was speaking of salvation from a physical standpoint, but the greater application is from a spiritual standpoint.  When it comes to our souls, God can save us to the uttermost.  We do not have to worry about salvation if we are walking in the light of God’s Word.  God is faithful, and He will do what He has promised and give us a home in heaven if we are faithful to the end (John 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).   We do not have to rely on our greatness for salvation.  God is our salvation, and He will deliver us from all the schemes of the devil if we give Him a chance.

How do we give God a chance to save us?  In fact, how do we give God a chance to be our rock and our refuge, as well as our salvation?  David tells us.  We must trust God, not once in a while, but at all times.  If we want God to be all these things that David wrote about, the trust of God must be in our hearts, not just on the money in our pockets.  

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.