In Whom Do You Trust?

Hannah Quinn

Central Truth

Only in Jesus is our trust assured; He is faithful to the end of the age. He is, as Hebrews 1 describes Him, the exact representation of God, superior to the angels, and God's own Son. With His eternal, unchanging nature, He sustains the universe; and thereby, He sustains me.

And,

"You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end."

The Supremacy of God's Son

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?

Or again,

“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?

6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God's angels worship him.”

7 Of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

10 And,

“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
    like a garment they will be changed.^{1

1:12
Some manuscripts omit like a garment}
But you are the same,
    and your years will have no end.”

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,

“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Footnotes

[1] 1:12 Some manuscripts omit like a garment

My eyes fly open, the room is dark. My senses have switched into fight-or-flight mode. My heartbeat plays a cacophonous racket inside my ears, and my lungs feel constricted with every breath. I begin to pray. I take a deep breath and concentrate on slowing my racing thoughts, my pounding heart, my labored breath. Panic attack.

This has been a familiar experience particularly over the last few months—waking from a dead sleep to a mind (and body) that feels like it's running for its life. In tears, I confessed my struggle to my community group. To share my inner emotional battle was difficult. I wrongly thought that if it wasn't a physical struggle or debilitation, then it shouldn't inhibit me from being the wife and mom I needed to be. But I just wasn't, I didn't feel myself, and my joy in caring for my family was buried beneath a troubled mind.

That night my community group prayed for, encouraged, and reminded me of what God's Word says. One of the girls asked what I considered the opposite of anxiety. "Trust," I replied. She counseled me to do a deep word study in the Bible—not on fear nor anxiety, which was my habitual approach, but on trust. It was a complete perspective shift.

My trust is in Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The One who provided purification of my sins sits at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). The One who is superior to angels, whose throne will last forever and ever, He is the One in whom I trust. No matter the circumstance nor the battle, He never changes; He is victorious. Even the heavens and the earth He will roll up and discard, but He remains the same; and His years will never end (Hebrews 1:11-12). He has created me, He will sustain me, He will rescue me (Isaiah 46:4). If He is my light and my salvation, why should I be afraid (Psalm 27:1)?

Self-reliance produces chaos, complete dependence upon Jesus begets peace. In whom do you trust today?

1. What struggle are you in the midst of experiencing? What is an antonym for your struggle on which you can do an in-depth word study (e.g., trust for anxiety, peace for fear)? Use the power of Scripture and let God's truth permeate every aspect of your current challenges.

2. Are you failing to trust God in anything right now? How has He proven His faithfulness to you in the past? Reflect upon His good, unchanging nature.

3. What character trait of Jesus in Hebrews 1 resonates with you? What does it teach you about God, and how will you respond to it today?