Jeremiah 17:7 and Luke 11:28 Trust and Obey
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
“He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
(NIV)
“Trust and Obey” is an old hymn with the famous refrain: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” The two Scriptures quoted above speak of the blessing for those who trust and for those who obey. So if we do both, we must be twice blessed.
But why should we trust in God? First of all, He’s the creator. If we can’t trust the One who created the universe, who can we trust? Secondly, God’s Word is creative. When He speaks something, it happens, so it is impossible for Him to lie. And thirdly, God is good. We can certainly trust someone who is good.
Okay, what about obey—why should we obey Him? In Jesus’ own words, we are blessed if we obey the Word of God. Jesus, as part of the Tri-une God, also speaks creative words, so it is also impossible for Him to lie. To be disobedient to God is to deny Him. And those who deny God will, after physical death, be separated from Him for eternity—not a good situation. Deuteronomy, chapter 28, gives a long and impressive list of blessings for those who obey God–follow His commands. The list goes on for fourteen verses. Conversely, the following thirty verses list the curses that will come upon those who do not obey God.
Okay, we have numerous reasons to trust and obey God, but I have not mentioned the best and most important reason to trust and obey God. God loves us! And because He loves us, He will do his best to bless us. Those who trust and obey God have accepted Jesus as Savior, and that’s the guarantee that blessings will follow. Some blessings will be given here on earth, but many, many more will be ours to enjoy for eternity. My advice is to trust and obey. Then joy in the Lord will most certainly follow.