WHERE IS GOD CALLING YOU TO TRUST HIM?

Since the Garden, God has been calling us to return to Him and trust Him. In fact, whether you realize it or not, everything in your life is orchestrated and designed to bring you back to Him. This is not punitive, but a sign of God’s intense love. He created you and knows that there is no better, safer, wiser, more prosperous place to be than resting in Him.

A SABBATH REST
When the children of Israel were delivered from 400 years of bondage in Egypt, they were delivered not just “from” bondage but “to” the Promised Land. Along the way, God gave their leader, Moses, very deliberate instructions about how they were to function in the coming decades. These instructions were not intended to be restrictive but liberating and that would display the glory of God. They were laws, though, that would only work if they trusted God—if they allowed the God of heaven and earth in the equation.

One of those admonitions, given in Leviticus 25 was a complete rest to the land every 7th year and a total rest on the 50th year, the year of Jubilee. It was designed to give release to the land so it would not be overworked every seven years and on the 49th year, there would be a time of readjustment back to the original positions of things. This would bring a wonderful, natural order and harmony to the people and the land. Also, every seventh year it would be a reminder that this was not their land, it was His, and if they would tend it His way, He would always abundantly provide for them.

BUT HOW?
… is always the question. Our knowing God anticipated this question from His children and precluded it with an answer.

But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops?” then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in. (Leviticus 25:20-22)

“Here is the way this unusual but beautiful system will work and the only way it will work,” God said. “You must trust Me. I will ‘appoint My blessing’ so the land will produce at exactly the right time. If you will obey me and not work the land the 7th year, I will give so much on the 6th year that it will provide for you until the harvest in the 9th year! Trust me and you’ll have all you need and more!”

THE ISSUE IS ALWAYS FAITH
Everything in your life is designed to bring you back to dependency upon your Father. If you will simply believe God and follow His leadership, you and all those around you will be astounded at the perfection of His blessings and care. That was true for the Israelites and it is true for you.

“The Jews had much rest provided for them. If they had had faith enough to obey God’s commands, they might have been the most favored of people, but they were not a spiritual people, and the Lord often had to lament their disobedience.” (Spurgeon)

(Thankfully, God’s promises to His chosen people, Israel, regarding their historical position, was (and is) eternal and unchanging.)

I will not reject or abhor them so as to destroy them and break my covenant with them, since I am the Lord their God. (Lev. 26:44)

His faithfulness has always been bigger than their unfaithfulness. God has a special plan for Israel, even until the end of time. We see this even working out in extraordinary ways in our current day.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Every sentence of the Bible has something to say to you right now. It’s principles and applications are timeless and personal.

Where is God calling you to trust Him now? What is the classroom of opportunity He is offering to you, calling you to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord?" What is He telling you to give or a place where you are to rest and let Him provide so things can be brought back to fresh order?

Be assured of this: He will always reward those who trust Him. He can “appoint His blessing” at any moment and provide in stunning ways. He’s simply looking for those who will believe and follow.