Isaiah 26:3-8
Food for the soul.
Like hamburgers and french fries, trust (in the Lord) and obedience (to him) go hand-in-hand. Trust and obey…there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.
The old song says, “Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, can abide while we trust and obey.”
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 NLT
First, when you trust God, he gives you peace. When you know the most powerful one in the universe is for you and not against you, it gives you amazing confidence. As the prophet Isaiah says, if we fix our thoughts on him he will keep us in perfect peace.
And God never changes. He is as solid and steady as a rock.
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
Isaiah 26:4 NLT
Only, God is the eternal rock. That means that he never gets diminished by centuries of relentless wind, sandstorms, heat, cold…or anything. He never cracks or crumbles.
But trust is not complete if it ends in your head. You can believe something, but you’re not trusting unless you act on that belief. For example: you may believe the bridge is strong enough, but you’re not really trusting it until you drive across it.
With God, that means obeying his Word.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
Isaiah 26:8 NLT
We show our trust by obeying him. That’s why trust and obedience go together. Obedience completes trust. Trust and obey–it’s like a hamburger and french fries…for your soul.
Questions for Group Discussion
- Do you find it difficult to trust God? Why, or why not?
- What does it mean to obey God? Do you have to hear his voice to do so? What about obeying scripture? Does that count?
- Is it even possible to trust God without obeying his Word? Or is the lack of obedience a sign of no real trust?
Challenge: Peas & Carrots
Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage
This I tell you, brother
You can’t have one without the other
Love and Marriage, Frank Sinatra. 1955. Capitol Records
Some things just go together like peas and carrots. In honor of that fact, we’re making this a two-part challenge:
- List 20 pairs of things that go together. (Like peas & carrots, love & marriage, etc.)
- In at least one paragraph, answer this question:
- Is it possible to trust God without obeying his Word? (Can you have one without the other?)
