The best is yet to come

Psalm 118:8-9

All through our lives, we trust people.  We trust our parents to bring us up.  We trust teachers to tell us the truth.  We trust doctors to give us the right medicine.  We trust our spouses to support us. We trust police to protect us, bosses to pay us, governments to lead us.  

But the psalmist says here, there is something better than that.  Because all these people will fail us, we need to know that there is One that we can trust always, One who never fails.  

The Bible doesn’t say that we should never trust other people, but that we should trust the Lord more.  We can trust people but it is a mistake to trust in them.  Instead, we should trust the Lord as the source of any good through other people.  So, if the doctor gives us a medicine that he says will help us, we thank the doctor, but we trust the Lord to use the medicine to make us well. 

The Lord is “better”.  He is better than any other person (even the most important or powerful person, even “princes”, v9).  He is better because He never fails.

The Lord is also our “refuge”.  He is the One who surrounds us and protects us.  He is greater than any other person.  People can help us with a few things.  A business teacher can help you to look after money, but she may not be able to help you be a better parent.  

But the Lord is Lord of everything, can help us with everything
 and we can trust Him about everything. He is the Lord of life, of health.  He is the Lord who provides for every need.  He is the Lord who protects.  He is the Lord who is wise and who gives wisdom. 

So, it is better to take refuge in Him than to trust in man.