‘…continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.’
1 Peter 2:23 KJV
We’ve seen that endurance requires the ability to remain under while we are going from God’s point A to God’s point B. In this process we are learning and growing in God. We are conforming to the image of Jesus. We are putting off in order to put on. We are submitting to the disciplines that come so we can become a partaker of His holiness. Our end goal is to bring Him the glory in everything that is said and done through our lives.
We have discovered that this simply cannot be done without abiding in His love; without looking unto Jesus and considering Him, while we trust Him, whose judgement is righteous.
We begin with fundamentals when we find ourselves tempted. We check our foundations. We examine our hearts and we commit ourselves to Him. Let this always be our plumb line ~ God is always right. Our ability to depend on Him is because He is always truth. It is impossible for God to lie.
Proverbs 8:6-9
Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
Our scripture from 1 Peter addresses who we allow to be in control of our lives. We can say Biblical believing involves commitment and commitment reflects trust. God is a safe refuge, a strong tower, a very present help in time of need. Trust is defined as an assured reliance on the character, strength or truth of a person, or thing, and is always a matter of the heart. It is with the heart that one believes.
The NASB reflects a more accurate sense of the verse by showing the ongoing tense of the verb…..BUT KEPT ENTRUSTING HIMSELF TO HIM WHO JUDGES RIGHTEOUSLY ~ this simply means my trust in God must exceed my understanding of right.
Entrusting, is the Greek word paradídōmi Strong’s number 3860 (from 3844/pará, "from close-beside" and 1325/dídōmi, "give") – properly, to give by turning over ("hand over from"), i.e. deliver over with a sense of close (personal) involvement.
Believing can be general, trust must be specific. We can believe God is a healer but not trust Him to heal us. We can believe God is a provider but not trust Him to provide for us. We know God can heal but will he heal me? We know God can provide but will he provide for me? General to specific involves trust and who you trust, you will commit yourself to.
This point A of God to point B of God is a narrow path and with all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, this path offers many opportunities to learn God in ways we have yet to know Him. It is as we keep entrusting ourselves to Him He is able to reveal Himself to us. Abraham would not have known God as Jehovah Jireh without trusting God to provide for himself a lamb. It was in the place of his commitment that He was to see and learn God as provider.
We want to be a people that endure well. I’m mindful of verse nineteen in 1 Peter chapter two ~ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. Notice here “gracious” and “mindful of God”, tell us grace is always present when we are mindful of God and it is His grace which enables us to endure any and all sorrows we might suffer through life’s seeming injustices. We have been called to this world, at this time, in our generation, to display at all times, a righteous life. Jesus left us the “how to” so we can follow in His footsteps.
Jesus endured all things because he continued entrusting himself to the Father. Being mindful of God, we come to His Throne of Grace to receive mercy. By faith we access His grace, for where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. We receive, knowing He is a rewarder, a Father, that gives us good things. Grace abounds. Grace helps us in the time of need, gives us all sufficiency, and we are not only able to stand, but abound, mindful of Him. Rooted and grounded in his love, enduring all things.
Our salvation will be in the continuing, the abiding, the daily dependence upon our union with Him. That Union is the one needful thing that sustains us.