DO YOU BELIEVE OR DO YOU TRUST
John 13:3 - 14:1 Peter
asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the
truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” “Do not let
your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me”, said Jesus.
“People
could not believe the headlines of the newspapers in 1860. French acrobat and
tightrope walker Charles Blondin stretched an 1,100 foot long tightrope some
160 feet above Niagara Falls. In a bold performance, he announced his intention
to cross the falls blindfolded with a volunteer on his back. The crowds roared
with approval. When Blondin approached one member of the cheering crowd, the
man promptly refused. It was one thing to “believe” the Great Blondin could
carry a man over the raging waters, but it was quite another to “trust” him to
do it. The faith that saves is the faith that is steadfast.” (Professor William
L. Krewson, The Institute of Biblical Studies)
Do you believe in Jesus? Do you trust Jesus? Like Peter,
we often misunderstand our own attitude towards Christ because we do not really
know our own hearts. Jesus knows our hearts better than we do. It is a huge
distance from believing something about Jesus to trusting our lives to him
because of what we believe. The distance can be as wide as Niagara Falls.
Sometimes we face the distance when we are put into a life situation that can
only be answered with trust and not belief. Peter faced that when confronted by
a young woman with having been an associate of Jesus. Fearing man and not
trusting what he believed he denied Christ three times.
I pray that God gives us the faith to trust Him no matter
the life struggle or circumstances we encounter. With confidence in Him may we
take each day with the joy of our salvation and the trust of our beliefs.
Jericho Road Ministries Chapel, by Rev. Bruce W.
Gimbel, 2008.
