In God We Trust

“In God We Trust.” These words appear on all of our currency in the United States of America and have done so since the Civil War. In 1956, a joint resolution of Congress, approved by President Eisenhower, made these words the official motto of our country. But, who do we trust or, more importantly, who do you trust? And does it really matter who or what we put our trust in?

In Psalm 20:7-8, David wrote about trust. He said that there are some people who put their trust in the things of the world, such as chariots and horses. While we may not put our trust in chariots and horses (although I guess you could argue that some still put their trust in horses), in our day and age, there are some who put their trust in things like money, jobs, and status. Some place their trust in men, in science, or in politics. David pointed out that those who put their trust in earthly things are brought to their knees and fall. But, he also said that those who put their trust in the Lord God will rise up and stand firm.

The things of this world are, at best, temporary. In God’s Word, they are compared to a spider web. They are fragile and can’t be relied on to hold us up. If you trust in a spider web to hold you up, you are in for an unpleasant surprise. When you lean on it, the web gives way and when you cling to it, it doesn’t hold (Job 8:13-15). The things of the world are like that spider web. If we put all our trust in them, they give way; if we cling to them, they can’t hold us up.

It does matter who we put our trust in. We need to place our trust in God. God is eternal, He is powerful, and He is more than able to hold us up through anything life may bring when we put our trust in Him and cling to Him. When we trust in God and not in our own abilities, possessions, and knowledge, He will guide us through our lives. Our personal motto should always be: “In God I trust!”