Trust and Obey

An Example

Nate and I met after I dropped out of college to do some soul searching. I had no idea at the time, but he would go on to become my dearest brother in Christ, and the best man of my wedding.

We grew together, he came alongside me as the Lord led me to Himself

He started dating his, now wife, Michele. Just a short time later, Marissa and I started dating.

They got engaged, we got engaged.

They got married, we got married.

We found out we were pregnant with Ryder, they found out they were pregnant with Ellie

Ryder came early and Ellie came just a couple weeks later, right on time. We walked through this incredible season together.

Less than a year later, I would get a call from Nate that him and Michele were pregnant with their second, and we rejoiced together, then just a couple days later, I got a call from him in tears that they had lost their baby. We mourned together and prayed together.

A couple of days after that, we found out that we were pregnant with Theodore, and while I was overwhelmed with joy, my heart was filled with grief for Nate and Michele. Before I could tell anyone else that we were pregnant, I knew I would have to tell Nate, I while I could not even begin to imagine the pain that he and Michele were feeling, Theodore would be a physical reminder of their baby.

Nate and Michele would go on to have 3 more miscarriages over the next 2 years.

They walked through that season in the community and counsel of the faithful people that the Lord had put in their life, and they shared openly their grief and pain, but also their resolve and peace in the Lord.

They walked through this season of crippling pain with an unwavering trust in the Lord.

In the midst of their pain, they shared openly on facebook the trials they were going through, and the Lord sent them several couples who had dealt with the same tragic loss of an unborn child.

They were able to grieve with, and counsel these couples in a way that very few other people could, and the Lord used this to begin to redeem what only He could redeem. The Lord brought healing in the midst of the trials, not in the way they, or we wanted, with another child, but by using Nate and Michele’s suffering to be a light to so many who were suffering the same grief.

As we are all different members of the same body, obedience looks different for each of us. For them, this public sharing of their grief was what obedience looked like. This is not prescriptive, everyone is not called to do the same, but this is descriptive of the obedience that they exercised.

When they couldn’t understand why the Lord would let something like this happen, they Trusted the goodness and mercy of their Heavenly Father.

When they didn’t know what to do next, they Obeyed the calling that the Lord had placed on their life.

Trust and Obey.

These are the principals I want to highlight from Psalm 40 this morning.

Psalm 40

vv. 1-5

David begins this Psalm by remembering God’s faithfulness to Him

Whether we feel like we’re on the mountain top, close to God, and everything is going great, or if we’re in the valley, in the midst of our darkest trial, God never changes. He is always good, He is always holy, He is always just, He is always merciful, He is always worthy of praise, and, as David is about to tell us, He is always trustworthy.

They many that will see the Lord(thats you) will also fear the Lord, and those that see and fear the Lord will make the Lord their trust, and not be shaken when the enemy begins to whisper lies in their ear.

David finishes this introductory section of this Psalm with praise and remembrance of who God is.

vv. 6-8

That Tabernacle that we just finished reading about, then eventually the Temple was the place where sacrifice was to be made to God, and David, even under the Law is saying that it’s not the sacrifices are not what is pleasing to God, but those who hear His voice and do His will.

This phrase, “open ear,” has a dual meaning to it. You hear and the voice of the Lord through unblocked ears, but a servant’s ear is also opened with an awl.

We hear the voice of the Lord, we trust Him, then as His servants, we obey Him.

In vv. 7-8 David is most likely quoting a decree or oath that he took on when he became king, knowing full well that he could never fulfill that oath, he put his trust in the One who could.

Hebrews 10:5–7 “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ””

These prophetic words of David are later applied directly to Christ as the true and perfect King who could uphold perfectly this oath

Though imperfectly, we can take that same oath, knowing the the author and perfecter of our faith has already completed it, and as we run after our forerunner, this is what we are striving toward. Not just to hear and obey the will of the Lord, but to delight in it. Not just to know the law or the word or our God, but for it to be written within our hearts.

May our prayer be that, like Nate and Michele, the Holy Spirit would put within us an immutable delight in the will of God. That, no matter how much pain and heartache it might take, that he would etch his words forever within our hearts.

vv. 9-11

When we have that testimony, or when we feel the Holy Spirit move within us, let us not neglect to share that Way, Truth, and Life with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jeremiah 9:23–24 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.””

vv. 12-14

David laments both the evil in this world, as well as the evil in his own heart. When David speaks of his enemies, we get images of the armies that pursued and persecuted him, but ultimately, his enemies look the same as our enemy. Satan is the great enemy of the people of the Lord, and while ultimately defeated, he hates to see glory brought to the Lord. He is a crafty serpent that deals is lies to separate you from your father.

vv. 15-18

As believers, we have no shortage of scoffers. Those who look at us as “bitter clingers” to our bible. Those who call us pious as a slander. Those who are kept in the dark with blind eyes and blocked ears. For some of us these are people we see online, for others, you may have a friend like this. Some may even have family members, parents or children, brothers or sisters who view you this way. In all of this, may we say with a unified voice, “Great is the Lord”

And as we cry, “Great is the Lord,” know that your Father delights to give good gifts to His children, like Nate and Michele.

Conclusion

Seven months ago, Nate told me that they were pregnant again, and that Michele would be receiving a treatment throughout this pregnancy that they were hopeful would help. Well last week, at 35 weeks, Michele’s water broke. They rushed to the hospital where she was induced, and a few hours later, their daughter Noemi was born. After delivery, being pre-term, they took her to the NICU, where she recieved a clean bill of health, and a healthy Michele and Noemi were released,