Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
    In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

I didn’t plan it this way, but this is a singularly appropriate Scripture for America’s Independence Day, since the national motto is In God We Trust. That motto has come under a lot of attack in recent years from people who don’t want to acknowledge their Creator, claiming “separation of Church and State,” but it is about as non-sectarian as it could possibly be. That people would revile it says far more about them than it does about the motto, or about the nation! That said, there are several things about this passage that are worth noting. In the first place, David acknowledges that there are times when he is afraid. Fear itself can be very valuable as a survival mechanism, but it can be such a powerful emotion as to be debilitating, blocking out rational thought. The solution to that is the choice to trust God. Many people like to portray themselves as victims of their circumstances, but we always have the power of choice, whe­ther to trust God or despair, to obey Him or reject Him. A major help in that is the Bible, because it gives us a record of things He has done and said. That David word praise God’s Word here is neither casual nor unimportant. That’s why Bible literacy is at such a low point, because the devil doesn’t want us protected against his attacks on our minds and hearts. Even Jesus quoted the Bible when He was tempted in the wilderness! (Luke 4:1-13) When we have the foundation of what God has said and done, then the actions of mere people seem appropriately small in comparison.

This is a lesson I have had worked into me over the years. Growing up in Japan, America’s National Motto was not very big in my awareness, but my parents certainly modeled trust in God. Like everyone else, I think, I have had moments when choosing to trust God was my only viable option. I cannot choose what happens to me, but I can choose how I respond to it, and trusting God is a vital part of the foundation for all such choices. Now that I have retired from school teaching, in some aspects I have more room to choose how I use my time, but all sorts of things combine to limit my options. I must choose to trust that God has a plan for me that is constantly operative, and that His plan for me is indeed good. (Jeremiah 29:11) If I keep that in focus, then I can relax and enjoy the journey! As He has told me personally, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice!

Father, thank You for this reminder. America is in turmoil at this point, as is much of the world, to the point that people fear for their safety because of their political opinions. That is sad, but they still have the options David presented. I do pray for Your grace and mercy, not just in America but around the world, so that the lies of the devil may be soundly defeated and people be set free to repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!