Trust Ye In the Lord Forever

In Elder Gong’s recent conference talk he encouraged us to trust. Part of his message was that we should learn better to trust others. He said, “Many today feel a great need to restore trust in human relationships and modern society.” Even though trust may be broken by those we love, “We and our relationships can change…. We can forgive others in the right time and way.” He used the parable of the prodigal son to encourage us to open our arms to those who “come home to Him. He invites us to make our congregations, quorums, classes, and activities open, authentic, safe—home for each other. With kindness, understanding, and mutual respect, we each humbly seek the Lord and pray and welcome His restored gospel blessings for all.” Of course, we can’t always trust others and we need “discernment to know when faith and courage are merited to trust again in human relations.”

                But there is a source we can look to and trust always, and Elder Gong’s testimony was that we can always rely on the Lord. He said, “As we reflect on trust, we know God is a God of truth and ‘canst not lie.’ We know truth is a knowledge of things as they are, were, and are to come. We know continuing revelation and inspiration fit unchanging truth to changing circumstances.” He continued, “Yet, with respect to God and personal revelation, President Russell M. Nelson assures, ‘You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust.’ We can always trust God. The Lord knows us better and loves us more than we know or love ourselves…. Trust God and His miracles.” He concluded his talk this way with an invitation again to trust in God: “Our life journeys are individual, but we can come again to God our Father and His Beloved Son through trust in God, each other, and ourselves. Jesus beckons, ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ As did the Prophet Joseph, undaunted may we trust in our Heavenly Father’s care. Dear brother, dear sister, dear friend, please look again for faith and trust—a miracle He promises you today.” No matter what mortals may do to violate trust, we can always turn to the Lord and trust Him.

                This week in the Come, Follow Me reading we studied the life of Abraham. Certainly he is someone who had trust violated and who had to learn to place his confidence wholly in the Lord. When he was in Ur at the beginning of the story he said this about his family, “My fathers, having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the worshiping of the gods of the heathen, utterly refused to hearken to my voice.” He could no longer trust his father in particular who “endeavored to take away [his] life by the hand of the priest of Elkenah.” His own father sought to take away his life—now that’s a violation of trust! But Abraham learned that the Lord would always be there for him as he was miraculously saved from the hand of the priest. The Lord said to him, “Abraham, Abraham, behold, my name is Jehovah, and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee…. Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee” ” (Abraham 1:5,7,18). Later the Lord also said this to him, “My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.” The Lord led him from place to place, offering protection and guidance from Ur to Haran to Egypt. And just as He knew Abraham so He knows us, and His hand will be over us as we, like Abraham, make and keep covenants with Him. I love the way that Isaiah invited us: “Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4).