WHERE DO I PLACE MY TRUST?

Just recently, I sat at the foot of a rocky outcrop that majestically rises 490 feet above sea level in Athens, Greece. It is impressive as it seems wherever you are in Athens, your eye will always find its way to that rock. It is as if it ‘lords’ itself over the city. It is not just the rocky mountain that catches your eye but also the fascinating ancient ruins of the Acropolis upon it. Everywhere you are in the city you eye returns to that sight as if it is the center or ‘true north’ for the people of this bustling place.

While sitting there, I was reminded of another ancient time when the people of God would pilgrimage up the mountain in Jerusalem, worshiping by singing ‘songs of ascent’ or songs of the road (Psalm 120-134). The stark difference between that Acropolis in Athens and the focus of those ancient pilgrims was WHO was being worshipped. The former placed their trust in many gods of their own making while the ancient worshippers in Jerusalem declared that their trust was in the ONE true God WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

As I sat in Athens, awestruck that I was viewing something that was built around 525 BC, its vulnerability became evident. Scaffolding covers various areas as years of skilled restoration work continues. Without human intervention it would continue to decay and ultimately lay in complete ruins. You see nothing man made will endure. Those early God-fearing worshippers declared that truth boldly in song. They knew that even the hills that commanded their attention and lifted their gaze would erode and weather over time. 

As I sit now in the quietness of my home, my vulnerability becomes evident. I spend too many of my days looking for that ‘center’ or ‘true north’ to offer me satisfaction, give me peace, offer me comfort or provide me direction. All too often I am looking at places or objects (people) of my own making in which I put my trust. If I am truly honest with myself, I know that these are weak and temporary substitutes that offer quick fixes or short-lived help. The only worthy place to place my trust is in the loving and merciful hands of my Creator, the One who made Heaven and Earth. It is in trusting His eternal presence, His everlasting provision and enduring promises that I will never be shaken.