A Better Hope

“It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.”

(Psalm 118:8-9 ESV)

In my last post, we looked at the beginning of 1 Peter, and were reminded about the true source of hope for the believer in Jesus. We found that, through the Lord, we have been born again to a living hope. And this hope is not only for the moment. It’s one the endures for eternity.

This is a great comfort. And the reminder found in the above verses ties right in with this. It’s better to trust in the Lord than in man. It’s better to take refuge in him than in princes.

This is a sin to which we are all prone. As we face difficulties in this world, we tend to place our hope in man. As we’re faced with domestic and international threats, it could be a particular leader or politician in whom we place our trust. We might place our trust in the military. As we’re faced with health struggles, it could be a doctor in whom we place our trust. As we face existential crises, we might put our trust in a particular teacher or religious leader. The examples are endless.

In the current political climate here in the United States, I think we are prone to putting our faith in a particular leader. As a friend and a fellow AFLC pastor, Jason Gudim, recently published: “Our nation’s obsession with political saviors and antichrists is doing much more harm than any single political figure – male or female – has done in America…We are now prone to placing our hopes on a specific and personal political messiah instead of taking the initiative to finding and contributing to a solution.”

Many on the left looked to President Obama as their political Messiah. In the same way, many on the right now look to President Trump as the one who will set all things right. In many ways, we’ve become more focused on politics, we’ve placed our hope more in man, than the Lord.

Many have become fearful of a nuclear North Korea. And we must admit that this is a very real threat. One way in which I am guilty is that I’ve placed my trust in our military. I know that we have a military more powerful than any on earth. I know that we have technology that is far more advanced than that of this enemy. And, for this reason, I’ve felt comforted. I’ve believed that we are generally safe from the attacks of this enemy. I’ve done so rather than simply trusting in the Lord as my help and my salvation.

The Lord is the only one in whom we should trust. He alone is to be our refuge. Although he can use princes, and although he can use military might, it’s he alone who can provide for us salvation.

The question each of us must ponder is this: In what ways have we trusted in man rather than the Lord? In what ways have we trusted in princes rather than the Lord? We must then repent, ask the Lord to forgive us for Christ’s sake, and ask him to turn our hearts toward him and him alone.