1 February

‘Faith’, in the Bible, is primarily about putting our trust in a person. In that sense it is more akin to love. All loving relationships involve some element of trust. Faith is trust in God that transforms all our other relationships

Proverbs 3:21-35

 The writer of Proverbs says, ‘The Lord shall be your confidence’ (v.26a, AMP). The object of your faith is a person, ‘the Lord’. God is the one person you can totally trust in everything. This ‘confident trust’ (v.23, AMP) transforms the way you live your life. It gives you:

• Wisdom
  The fool is ‘self-confident’ (v.35, AMP). But those who are confident in the Lord are wise: ‘Preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you’ (v.21). Wisdom, good judgment and discernment come from walking closely with God.

• Peace
  Success at work, wealth and fame are of little value if you do not have peace. Peace comes from a right relationship with God. There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience: ‘When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster’ (vv.24–25a). Whatever happens, you need not fear, you can trust that God is with you and in control.

• Goodness
  ‘Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person’ (v.27, MSG). Take every opportunity to do good; if you have the ability to help someone, do not delay (v.28).

• Love
  ‘Do not contrive or dig up or cultivate evil against your neighbour, who dwells trustingly and confidently beside you’ (v.29, AMP). Trust in God leads to a love for your neighbour.

• Intimacy
  ‘The Lord… takes the upright into his confidence’ (v.32). When the Lord is our confidence, he takes us into his confidence. This is a wonderful image of what intimacy with God looks like: ‘His confidential communion and secret counsel’ (v.32a, AMP).

• Humility
  God ‘gives grace to the humble’ (v.34b). If your confidence comes from trusting the Lord you will have no cause for pride. God promises to give you grace, blessing and honour 

Job learnt to trust God even though he did not understand what was going on in his life. Faith involves trusting God even when you don’t have all the answers.

Job said, ‘When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold’ (v.10b). Gold was refined and tested by heating it and skimming off the dross over and over again until the reflection of the goldsmith could be seen in it. In the midst of his terrible suffering, Job trusted that God would use it all for good and he would emerge purer and holier. Somehow he managed to cling on to God:

‘My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.
I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread’ (vv.11–12).

As we look at Job’s life we see that strength grows through struggles, courage develops in challenges and wisdom matures from wounds. When God tested Job his faith emerged as pure gold.