Always Trust God Explicitly
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15
Job reminded his friend that the only thing he could really do in life was trust God, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…” (Job 13:15). Job had come to the point where he knew that if God was putting the knife to him, then the plan was to cut out some cancer, because God was a caring physician not a harmful attacker. He knew that if God should choose to permit a death in his life, it is His right. God is wise, just and loving and is only allowing this because it’s going to be best. Now that’s what I call trust.
When you get to the point that you are willing to obey God, follow Him and love Him…regardless of the outcome, then no internal or external demon can beat that person! I love what the late English Pastor Charles Spurgeon says about this verse. He called it “God’s slaying times.” When it’s “slaying times,” then God is at work. When God’s killing your finances, when He’s killing the thing that you love so much, when He’s killing your health…when it’s slaying time, then He’s got a plan for positive change! And if He has a good agenda then I will trust Him, however challenging.
We’re never more like Christ than when we can go to our cross and can say, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Jesus never sinned one time. He certainly didn’t deserve the cross, yet His own father turned His back on Him. And yet He lifted up His eyes unto heaven and He said, “Father, I commend my life to you, Father kill me if that’s what you need to do.”
That’s also what Isaac did to his own father Abraham. Job said in effect, “If God kills me then that’s fine, I will not disobey Him, I will not call Him bad, I will not in any way think that He hates me, or I will not call Him unfair. God has the right to do with me whatever He wants; I’m just going to trust Him.” That kind of a person makes demons run!
Job was telling Zophar, “If God kills me, that’s fine but my young brother…do you understand what God is doing? Are you sure you’ve got it all down pat? I haven’t stopped trusting God. I haven’t quit being obedient to God. Yes, I am a dirt bag. Yes, I am a filthy sinner. In fact, I’m even worse than you think I am. But in no way, shape or form do I intend to disobey my God and I in no way want to call Him a bad God. He’s a loving God. He’s a great God and I’m going to trust Him regardless!”
May I say to each of you who are reading this…when your heart feels like it is going to shatter and hot tears are coursing down your cheeks, God does give us something worth trusting in during tough times – and that’s Himself! Job reminded us, “I will trust HIM.” The Lord has a plan to carry you through. When you are feeling so weak you cannot take another step, trust Him to hold you up, “When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up” (Psalm 94:18).
This does not mean your heartaches will disappear, but it does mean you will have someone (God) beside you the entire way! Biblical trust is an absolute confidence in something you can’t see, but know that somehow will work out. My friend, only Jesus can help. One day Jesus is coming back, and then He will set all of the wrong right. Know that nothing can or does happen without His loving approval. Rest in this knowledge! Trust Jesus!
