THE CHILDREN'S TRUST

The dividing of the Bible into chapters and verses was not inspired but it is of interest that the middle verse is said to be verse 8 of Psalm 118: "It is better to trust in Jehovah than to put confidence in man". It will be easily seen that at the centre of this verse is a very precious and intimate name by which God was known to His people Israel. Although of course we can usually rely on persons with whom we have to do day by day, we can always trust absolutely in God, known to us now as Father. The expressions 'to trust' and 'to have faith' are alike in many respects and yet there is a distinction in the language of the Scriptures. The very faith in God which we have by His gift should cause us to trust in Him in respect of the many details, sometimes very small, of everyday life at home and at school. All these matters are of interest to our heavenly Father who in His care considers even for the sparrows and indeed for all nesting birds.

The words "I will trust in him" express very simply and beautifully the full dependence of Jesus in His pathway on earth. According to a prophecy in the Psalms He was made to trust from the earliest moments of His life here and so is a model for every child as well as those who are older. Graciously the Lord appeared with His head and hair white like wool to His bondman John in the Revelation. If therefore any older persons should read these words they can be encouraged that the Lord knows all about age although He was cut off in the midst of His days. Paul, who so closely followed his Master, was brought face to face with death itself, probably more than once, but he trusted "in God who raises the dead".

A striking example of simple confidence in God is that of an old widow, poor but pious, living in a rather lonely cottage. One day she found herself with nothing at all to eat. She opened her Bible at random and was struck by the words in Psalm 50 that the mighty God claimed for Himself "the cattle upon a thousand hills". Later, before going supperless to bed she again turned to her Bible; it opened at the same place and she re-read those same words. After a short while there was a heavy knocking at the door. In those days herds of cattle used to be driven on the hoof very long distances to town markets, and a drover had called for help because one of his bullocks had fallen into a pit near the house. As the old widow was unable to help, the drover killed the beast and hurried on with the rest of his drove after telling her to do the best she could with the carcase. A villager was able to dress and sell it for her so that she thus proved the truth of that scripture in a very practical way. How she must have given thanks to God for His mercy! Do you?

J.C.Evershed