The Bible study today looked at the question of ‘how can we have confidence in God?’ We started by reading Psalm 65:4-7 TNIV, looking at the many things in those verses which encourage our confidence in God.
First of all, God has chosen us and therefore we are blessed (Ps 65:4 TNIV, John 15:16 TNIV, Eph 1:4 TNIV). In a way, He chooses us because He has confidence in us; He knows what He can make of us and what we can become in Him. This gives us a sense of purpose and hope, because we are not living random, pointless lives, but lives that have meaning in God’s plans and purposes.
God brings us into relationship with Him: He draws us to live in His courts (Ps 65:4 TNIV). We have a long-term relationship with Him, one that will last all eternity! We are brought into His wonderful family and are drawn into holy places. We are filled with good things; fully satisfied by all that God has for us. There is an abundance in God which overflows and meets our every need.
The mere fact that God answers us is amazing, but His answers are awesome deeds of righteousness (Ps 65:5 TNIV). There is such provision and plentitude in God! He is our Saviour, the source of our salvation – our rescuer, our deliverer, the One who saves us from trouble. Not only that, but He is our confidence and hope. We have confidence because of His faithfulness in all creation – not only in creating all we see but in sustaining it (see Ps 65:8-13 TNIV, Heb 1:3 TNIV). We see His faithfulness in maintaining the seasons, in sending rain and helping the crops to produce a harvest, just as He promised Noah (see Gen 8:22 TNIV). ‘You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.’ (Ps 65:11 TNIV) Again, we see more than enough in God.
Next, we looked at the confidence found in Psalm 27:1-6 TNIV. God brings light into our lives and is our fortress and protector against enemies; because of Him, we have nothing to fear. We can have confidence in His protection and deliverance; not only is He our hiding-place and refuge, but He lifts us up to high places (Ps 27:5-6 TNIV). As we seek His face, we find beauty in His ways and are blessed with songs of praise (Ps 27:6 TNIV).
Prov 14:16 shows us the follies of feeling secure in our own strengths and having self-confidence that has no regard for God. If we rush in without due consideration of the Lord, we are hotheaded and reckless. We can have confidence in God’s vision and plans because He sees the end from the beginning. He is the One who is able to bring His plans to completion (see Phil 1:3-6 TNIV) and we can also have confidence because of His assurance that nothing will be able to separate us from His love (Rom 8:37-39 TNIV).