65 Sermon Illustrations on Trust in God

As a young man in Europe, Donald Grey Barnhouse did considerable mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps and in the more dangerous and difficult French Alps. Roped together with other young men, he scaled many a peak; his snapshot book records moments of difficulty and peril that later made him wish to restrain others who might venture into similar places. Th e first time he went out with a young Frenchman, son of a pastor, and a young Swiss bank clerk, they gave him sound advice. "You have two hands and two feet," they said, "and that makes four. Always be sure that three out of the four are firmly on the rock. It is the only rule of safety." This advice is also the rule of spiritual safety in our Christian life. In one of the Psalms, David told of slipping feet. He had been looking at men and their circumstances. He saw the righteous suffering and the wicked flourishing, and he could not understand; he was, in fact, dismayed. He had looked at men and their doings instead of looking at God. It is as dangerous to take your eyes from the Lord in spiritual things as it is to take your feet from the rock in mountain climbing. The Souls of Men David Brainerd had such an intense compassion for souls, and was so concerned for their salvation, that he said, "I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls for Christ. While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things, and when I awoke, the first thing I thought of was this great work. All my desire was for the conversion of the heathen, and all my hope was in God." When Will Revival Start? Gypsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered, "Go home, lock yourself in your room and kneel down in the middle of your floor. Draw a chalk mark all around yourself and ask God to start the revival inside that chalk mark. When he has answered your prayer, the revival will be on." Why not covenant with God to draw that private circle?

Two men were discussing worry; one was blaming God because He didn't let us know what was going to happen. As they walked along, they came to a pasture where a cow was gazing dreamily over a stone wall. "Do you know why this cow has her head stretched over the wall?" asked one man. "No," said his friend. "I'll tell you. It's because she's not able to see through the stone wall. Imitate her. Quit banging the wall with your head. You won't break the wall down, but you will break your head. Stand tall, look over, and you'll be able to see farther on." It's the same lesson the Lord taught when He told people to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and consider who cares for them (Matthew 6:28). They have less cares than we who can think and reason, but God provides for them, and He will for us, too, if we trust Him.

All curiosity implies more or less skepticism and mental uneasiness. If our faith were unlimited, we should not seek to have so many questions answered. Imagine a physician whose fidelity and skill have inspired such confidence that, when he is called in, no one ever dreams of asking what treatment he is adopting or of cautiously checking his diagnosis; or a commander to whom his chief gives a free hand, not being asked to divulge his plan of campaign. The man is not yet born who commands that kind of unlimited confidence. But God demands and deserves this matchless honor. He ordains not a few of the mysteries that confront us so that we may have occasions for glorifying Him by our unquestioning trust in His wisdom and goodwill.

Psalms 37:1 begins, "Do not fret," and those words are repeated later in the chapter. The dictionary defines "fret" as "to eat way, gnaw, gall, vex, worry, agitate, wear away." Whenever H. Norman Wright hears this word, he is reminded of the scene he sees each year when he hikes along the Snake River in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Colonies of beavers live along the riverbanks, and often he sees trees that are at various stages of being gnawed to the ground by them. Some trees have slight rings around their trunks where the beavers have just started to chew on them. Other trees have several inches of bark eaten away, and some have already fallen to the ground because the beavers have gnawed through the trunks. Worry has the same effect on us. It will gradually eat away at us until it destroys us. In addition to telling us not to fret, Psalm 37 gives us positive substitutes for worry. First, it says, "Trust [lean on, rely on, and be confident] in the Lord" (Psalms 37:3 AMP). Trust is a matter of not attempting to live an independent life or to cope with difficulties alone. It means going to a greater source for strength. Second, verse four says, "Delight yourself also in the Lord" (AMP). To delight means to rejoice in God and what He has done for us. Let God supply the joy for your life. Third, verse five says, "Commit your way to the Lord" (AMP). Commitment is a definite act of the will, and it involves releasing your worries and anxieties to the Lord. And fourth, we are to "rest in the Lord; wait for Him" (Psalms 37:7 AMP). This means to submit in silence to what He ordains but to be ready and expectant for what He is going to do in your life. Stop worrying and start praying (Philippians 4:6-9; Psalms 34:1-4). The passage in Philippians can be divided into three basic stages. We are given a premise: Stop worrying. We are given a practice: Start praying. And we are given a promise: Peace. The promise is there and available, but we must follow the first two steps in order for the third to occur. We must stop worrying and start praying if we are to begin receiving God's peace. The results of prayer as a substitute for worry can be vividly seen in a crisis in David's life that prompted him to write Psalm 34. (See 1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Samuel 22:2). David had escaped death at the hands of the Philistines by pretending to be insane. He then fled to the cave of Adullam along with four hundred men who were described as distressed, discontented, and in debt. In the midst of all this, David wrote a psalm of praise that begins, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalms 34:1 RSV). He did not say he would praise the Lord sometimes, but at all times, even when his enemies were after him.

"Dear God, what am I supposed to do?" asked missionary Marge Elam. "I am so worried for my little girl. I am not able to hover over her to protect her." "The night was warm and quite dark. I could hear several alligators not far from the house calling back and forth in their strange creaky way. Nightbirds, frogs and other night creatures added their sounds as a background to my prayer. I soundlessly left my bed and felt my way to the hammock where my eight-year-old slept. "'Lord, she has to ride her bicycle alone two miles through the jungle to go to school. There are many wild things out there, and always snakes.' "While looking down at the faint outline of my sleeping child with her small white face pillowed on her bent arm, a memory went across my mind. It was the other day: her eyes were large with excitement, her voice almost squeaked, 'Mom, it was the biggest, fattest snake. Its body stretched all the way across the road. I did not know what to do, so I just pulled up my legs and rode my bike over it.'" "I could actually hear the thump of my own heart in the darkness. Then, I heard a voice. It almost seemed to come out of the darkness, but I knew it was inside of me. He said, 'I was able to take care of your daughter in the United States, and I am able to take care of her here as well.'After that, I was able to sleep the night through and every night since for 17 years. I knew that if He was able to take care of one eight-year-old girl, He was able to take care of everything else."

When an eagle wants to teach its little ones to fly from the nest high upon a cliff, hundreds of feet up in the air, it prods one of the little eaglets and with its beak noses it out of the nest. The eaglet starts to fall, and the great eagle flies underneath, puts its wing out, catches the little one on its back and flies a mile into the air. When you can hardly see the eagle as a point in the sky, it turns sideways, and down falls the little eaglet, fluttering maybe a thousand feet. Meanwhile, the eagle circles around and underneath the eaglet; the eagle catches the eaglet on its wings and carries the eaglet up in the air again. After dishing the young one out again and letting it go, the eaglet comes down farther and farther-sometimes within a hundred feet of the ground. Again the great eagle catches the little one on its back and they go up another mile. The little eagle is at perfect rest, and little by little it will learn to fly. The eagle knows when the eaglet is tired; it spoons the eaglet into the nest, noses out the next one and starts off again. God says, "That is the way I take care of you." But you may say, "I do not like to have my nest stirred up. I like everything cozy and tidy, and I just like to stay in my baby ways where I am." But God loves you. That is why He will not let you stay as a baby; He wants you to learn to fly. Sometimes you have to be carried aloft, and you may have a horror of having to go by yourself, but it must come if you are to grow.

Do you have that kind of inner resource? When life is under attack, do you have a fortress with inner provision that can withstand the siege? Between the two World Wars, the French built an 87-mile-long defensive wall called the Maginot Line-the great wall of France that defended its border with Germany. Three lines of defense were incorporated into the wall. The first were strong houses, small fortified barracks designed to sound the alarm. The second line of defense was deep, reinforced bunkers to delay enemy attack. But the third line of defense was called ouvrage, deeply buried multi-storied forts every four to six miles. Below the barracks, at the deepest level, were the storehouses of ammunition, food, and above all else, a constant supply of water from deep wells. When the Germans did move against France, they did not even try to attack these final forts. Not a single one of the ouvrage was ever overcome or taken by the Germans. Why? The Germans knew the soldiers in these bunkers could survive and resist almost indefinitely because of the deep, endless supply of water. All of us need fortifications for life. But every line of defense is inadequate unless deep within us there is a resource hidden, abundant, untouchable. When the assault of life's enemy comes, we need not fear if that Source is within us. Absolute trust in God means that Source of life can never be taken, despite rejection, poverty, loss of vocation, misunderstanding. Jeremiah himself experienced all of that and more. Yet what was true for him can be true for you. Jesus said it best: from within, streams of living water.

At first, I saw God as my Observer, my Judge-keeping track of things I did to know whether I merited heaven or hell. He was out there-sort of like a President. I recognized His picture but I did not know Him. Later on, when I met Christ, life became a bike ride. It was a tandem bike, and Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I do not know just when He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since. Christ makes life exciting. When I had the control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. When He led, He knew delightful long cuts-up mountains and through rocky places-and at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said "Pedal!" I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and did not answer, and I started to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I would say, "I am scared," He would lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people who gave me gifts of healing, acceptance, joy and peace for our journey. He said, "Give the gifts away." So I did to people we met. And I found that in giving I received, and our burden was light. I did not trust Him at first to control my life. I thought He would wreck it. But He knows how to make bikes bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. I am learning to be quiet and pedal in the strangest places. I am beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face. And when I am sure I just cannot do any more-He just smiles and says, "Pedal!"

A father asked his son to carry a letter from their camp to the village. He pointed out a trail over which the lad had never gone before. "All right, Dad, but I don't see how that path will ever reach the town," said the boy. "Do you see the trail as far as the big tree down there?" asked the father. "Oh, yes, I see that far." "Well, when you get there by the tree, you'll see the trail a little farther ahead, and so on until you get within sight of the houses of the village." Even so should we trust God, being willing to follow His directions one step at a time. The Greatest Compliment One wet, foggy day a little girl was standing on a street corner in a large city waiting for an opportunity to cross the street. She walked up and down and looked into the faces of those who passed by. Some looked careless, some harsh, some in a hurry; she did not see anyone who made her feel confident. At length an elderly man, tall and erect, yet with a kindly expression, came walking down the street. Looking up into his face she seemed to see the one for whom she had been waiting. She went up to him and asked timidly, "Please, sir, will you help me over?" The old man saw the little girl safely across the street, and when he afterward told the story he said, "That little child's trust was the greatest compliment I ever had in my life."

When Sir James Thornhill painted the cupola of that world-famous structure, St. Paul's Cathedral, in London, he was obliged to work while standing on a swinging scaffold far above the pavement. One day, when he had finished a detail on which he had spent days of painstaking effort, he paused to evaluate his work. So well had he succeeded in his task that he was lost in wonder and admiration. As he stood there gazing at the structure, he began to move backward to get a better view, forgetting where he was. Another artist, becoming suddenly aware that one more backward step would mean a fatal fall, made a sweeping stroke across the picture with his brush. The shocked artist rushed forward, crying out in anger and dismay; but when his companion explained his strange action, Thornhill burst into expressions of gratitude. This is an excellent illustration of how God blesses the material things in our lives and why we should ask Him to bless them. There are two possible outcomes: Either our plans will turn out as we hoped or they will fail. Having asked God to bless, we ask Him to be a partner. Only if that is our attitude shall we have the grace to praise God whatever the outcome may be. If we succeed, we shall give Him all the credit. If we fail, we shall take it that He has something different in mind for us. The Wise Pastor A man who was greatly troubled came to his pastor because he said in all his good deeds he detected a mixture of selfish motives. "Should I stop doing these things," he asked in perplexity, "since I find some self-gratification in all of them?" The wise pastor assured him while we are in the flesh we shall always suffer the humiliation of knowing that nothing about us is perfect, even our motives. It is a matter of committing ourselves to God to love and serve Him in all that we do; and if the by-product of our actions is joy and satisfaction, there is nothing wrong in that. The Two Builders Paul envisions two builders on the one foundation, Jesus Christ. The one builds a palace, the other a shack. No doubt in Corinth, as in other ancient cities, side by side with the temples shining in marble and brass were the huts of the poor and the slaves, built of flimsy materials such as Paul mentions. He envisions a sudden flame playing around these buildings, the fire of the Lord coming to judgment. The marble gleams whiter, the silver, gold and jewels more resplendently, while the tongues of light leap about the palace. But the straw hut goes up in a flare. The two builders stand before God, the ultimate Paymaster. The one man gets wages for work that lasts; the other gets no pay for what perishes. A Cup of Cold Water Have you understood what is really involved in the "cup of cold water," as Matthew 10:42 calls it? There is more to it than appears on the surface. In Eastern lands the water is drawn up from a well in the court or fetched from a distance. The housewife brings in a supply in the morning and lets it stand ready for use. As the day goes on the water gets warm. It would be easy for her to give a cup of this water to a thirsty friend or stranger, but a "cup of cold water" implies the kindly thought that would lead her to take the trouble to draw it or fetch it straight from the well, perhaps in the heat of the day. So often we give what amounts to tepid water to save ourselves extra work. But I believe it is the "cup of cold water" that shall in no wise lose its reward. The principle would seem to be that going out of our way, making sacrifices to help the poor, will have a sure reward.

"The man promise, they reckon much of that; they can tarry upon man's security, but count God's word nothing worth. They can trade with a factor beyond seas, and trust all their estate in a man's hands whom they have never seen; and yet the word of the infallible God is of little regard and respect with them, even then when he is willing to give an earnest of the promised good." It is noteworthy that in ordinary life small matters of business are transacted by sight, and articles valued by pence are paid for over the counter: for larger things we give cheques which are really nothing but pieces of paper made valuable by a man's name; and in the heaviest transactions of all, millions change from hand to hand without a coin being seen, the whole depending upon the honour and worth of those who sign their hands. What then? shall not the Lord be trusted? Ay, with our whole being and destiny. It ought to be the most natural thing in all the world to trust God; and to those who dwell near him it is so. Where should we trust but in him who has all power and truth and love within himself? We commit ourselves into the hands of our faithful Creator and feel ourselves secure. "Blessed is he that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

Bulstrode Whitlock. Cromwell's envoy to Sweden, was one night so disturbed in mind over the state of his nation, that he could not sleep. His servant, observing it, said, "Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?"—"Certainly."—"Do you think that God governed the world very well before you came into it?"—"Undoubtedly."—"And do you not think that he will govern the world quite as well when you are gone out of it?"—"Certainly."—"Then pray, sir, excuse me: do you not think that you may trust him to govern it as long as you live?" No answer could be given, and composure and sleep followed.

Sometimes I compare the troubles we have to undergo in the course of a year to a great bundle of fagots, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole at once: he mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us, first one stick, which we are to carry to-day; and then another, which we are to carry to-morrow; and so on. This we might easily manage if we would only take the burden appointed for each day; but we choose to increase our trouble by carrying yesterday's stick over again to-day, and adding to-morrow's burden to our load before we are required to bear it. John Newton.

Some young ladies, conversing with their teacher as to what they would do in the event of an anticipated calamity, asked their teacher where her refuge would be. She answered, "My refuge would be in my God."

Look on the robin redbreast; how cheerfully doth he sit and sing in the chamber-window, yet knows not where he is, nor where he shall make the next meal, and, at night, must shroud himself in a bush for his lodging! What a shame is it, then, for Christians, that see before them such liberal provisions of their God, and find themselves set warm under their roofs, yet are ready to droop under a distrustful and unblankful darkness, and are ready to say, "Can God make windows in heaven? Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?" Spencer.

Those Spaniards in Mexico who were chased of the Indians tell us what to do with our goods in our extremity. They being to pass over a river in their flight, as many as east away their gold swam over safe; but some, more covetous, keeping their gold, were either drowned with it, or overtaken and slain by the savages: you have received, now learn to give.

— Lord Bacon

Numa, the Roman Emperor, was once engaged worshipping his gods while the enemy was advancing to destroy his army. One ran and informed him of his danger, to whom he replied, "I am about the service of my God." This service was to him a guaranty of safety. Another said, "Let him fight who has a mind to it: I am not so mad as to fight against him who trusts to have God for his defender and deliverer." He was preparing his army to attack a neighboring prince. A returning spy reported the prince as preparing to meet him by committing his cause to God, and giving himself to fasting and prayer. Hence the above declaration.

A poor slave in one of the West-India Islands had learned well the lesson of trusting in God. A missionary said to him, "Well, Sambo, if your driver should lay you down to whip you, what would you do?"—"Me love God, and trust him all de-same."—"But, if you could get no meat to eat, what would you do?"—"Me eat, me tank me Fader; me no eat, me tank me Fader; me live, me tank me Fader; me die, me tank me Fader!"

In early times, when the Indians were on the war-path on the frontiers of Pennsylvania, they came upon a Quaker family, with the intention of scalping them, but were received with such confidence and kindness, that they became friends instead. On leaving, the Indians stuck a white feather over the door of the cabin to show that it was not to be harmed. Though the war-whoop rang all about it, the Quaker family was never disturbed.

Let every fox take care of his own tail.—Italian Proverb.—Every one for himself, and God for us all.—English Proverb.—No other protection is wanting, provided you are under the guidance of prudence.—Juvenal.

During Dr. Payson's last illness, a friend coming into his room said, "Well, I am sorry to see you lying here on your back." — "Do you not know what God puts us on our backs for?" said Dr. Payson, smiling. "No," was the answer. "In order that we may look upward."

I have been thinking of many expressions of Rutherford's this morning, before I was up. I feel one the burden of the song: "I lay my head to rest on the bosom of Omnipotence." While I can keep hold of this, it shall be a fine day, whether it rains, hails, or shines. Cecil.

There was an action that Alexander the Great did, which I use only to express what I mean by trusting in God. When he was sick, there comes a friend that was always close with him, who was a physician; and he prepared him a potion; but, before it was given, there was a letter delivered to him to signify that that very potion was poison. When his friend came with his potion in his hands, Alexander takes the letter that was sent to give him notice of the treason, and drinks off the cup with one hand, and reaches the letter with the other; so he drank off the cup before he showed the letter. How he trusted him! If he had failed him, Alexander had lost his life. He did not first show him the letter, and hear what he had to say; but he showed that he trusted him. And know, except thou do it thus, God is not ready to help thee. Preston.

Fresenius, a pious minister at Frankfort-on-the-Main, one day found his mother, who was a widow, concerned about a dollar which she much needed at the time, but did not know whence to procure. Not being himself able at that instant to furnish her with one, he said, "I, likewise, believe you must have the dollar: I accordingly turn this hour-glass, and assure you, that, if the dollar is really needed, it will positively lie here on the table before the hour-glass is run down. If it does not lie here, God will convince us, after this hour, that it was not as indispensable as we imagine." The hour-glass was scarcely run out one-half when a messenger arrived, who had traversed an eight-hours' walk, bringing a dollar which some one was owing to Fresenius.

TRUTH, Adherence to Park, in his travels, relates that a party of Moors made an attack on the flocks of a village; and a youth of the place was mortally wounded in the affray. The natives conveyed him home, while his mother preceded the mournful group, and, with streaming eyes, would exclaim, "He never, never, never told a lie."