Standing on the Mount

** They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. ** Psalm 125:1

** Every word of God is pure: he is  a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ** Proverbs 30:5

Today, we have two verses that teach us the same principle on Trust. Though the Bible does contain some hard sayings, The Lord uses everyday items to help us to grasp basic concepts and to walk more surely with Him.

Psalm 125 tells us that when we trust in the Lord we are ** as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever. ** and that he is  a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ** (Proverbs 30) What can we learn about trust from these verses?

Though less prevalent in the United States, forts and castles are common on any drive through the countryside in Spain and throughout Europe. Those that lived in medieval or ancient times understood the idea of needing to live on higher ground. They knew that sooner or later, their enemies would come and try to destroy them. They were very aware that fortification against attacks was necessary for survival. And being on higher ground than their enemies gave them a better view of what was happening around them as well as making them less vulnerable from attacks.

Running to the mount, where the fortress and high tower is located, gave the residents of ancient cities the best assurance for survival. As Christians, we know that God Himself is our fortress and high tower, and that we can run to Him and be safe when trouble comes into our lives. He protects us and fights for our survival. Trusting in the Lord is like living with God in His high tower on His mountain, protected from our enemies and any kind of harm.

The problem is that, sometimes, we run the wrong way. Sometimes it is hard to remember that the fort is there for our protection. So we run down the hill, in the opposite direction from the fort. Maybe we think we can solve things ourselves. Maybe we look to our friends or some other human resource like money, or our own intelligence or our ego, to find a safe hiding place. And the Lord, in His grace and mercy, allows us to take the path that puts distance between us and safety. He lets us work at solving our own problems until we run out of resources. He waits patiently until we turn around and look up and see the fortress there, still in the same place, waiting to receive us and protect us and fight for us like it always has.

The way we handle our problems is a good measuring stick for our faith. Do we run to Him, to the fortress, first? Is He our first thought? Do we open our Bibles and ask Him to show us a way out? Do we find the answers we are looking for and then respond positively to His direction? Or do we argue and plead and refuse to accept His Will , His Way and His solution?

Faith is believing and trusting. It is knowing that the Lord has the solution and running to Him to find it. It is trusting and walking in the solution that He gives us. It is leaning on Him in every situation. It is taking refuge on the mount and standing behind His shield. It is knowing that we cannot solve our problems ourselves. Self-sufficiency and following our own path are the opposite of trusting in the Lord.

Whatever we deal with, on any day, the solution is at the top of the hill. Behind the walls of the fortress. It is where the King lives. The King that welcomes us with open arms.