Discerning Trust

With the kids back in school, the river is much quieter. I had been up very early, brought Asherel to her class, and then to her driving test (which she passed!), and had a free hour to dash off to kayak. The turtles seem to know when school is back in session. They lounge about on the logs a little less fearfully, and I came very close to several before they decided to submerge. However, one very large turtle sunning on a log had his eyes closed as I crept up to him. I knew as soon as he heard my oars, however quietly I lay them in the water, he would open his eyes and plunk into the river. Slowly his eyes opened as I approached. Three feet away- he still sat on the log watching me. Two feet away- he still sat on the log watching me. One foot away- he turned his snakelike neck and looked at me. I looked at him. Neither of us moved. I drifted closer and closer, amazed at the beauty of the subtle lines and patterns and colors on his shell and body that one can't see from further away. I could have reached out and touched him.

Finally, I slowly edged on upstream. He watched me go, and then his eyes drifted closed again. That is one trusting turtle! I know people that would have grabbed him and made soup. But somehow, he seemed to know I was only greeting him, and would not hurt him. It struck me that he was a very wise turtle. One does not become such a large turtle by being stupid.

Discerning trust. You really can't trust many things, or many people. Evil does exist. There are people who want to use you for the delicious soup they can squeeze out of you! The recent events in Syria have been very disturbing on many levels. Who can we trust in that region? I think we cannot trust anyone there. There are horrific human rights' atrocities by all sides.

We put our trust in so many things that will fail us: Money, health, jobs, youth, beauty, even friends and family. There is one single place of absolute safety for our precious trust: God alone. He alone will not fail us or forsake us. He alone holds our eternity in His hands.

I circled back to see if I could get a close-up photo of the giant turtle. He eyed me, let me approach again, but as soon as I clicked the picture, he slipped into the river. To grow so large, one must be discerning in who to trust.

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I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me! (Psalms 56:11 ERV)

Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God. I have asked the Lord for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the Lord 's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance. (Psalms 27:3, 4 GNBDK)


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