Some Trust in…Chariots? 



When I was a sophomore in high school, I had weekly Bible verse quizzes in my morning Bible class. One particular week, I was surprised with how short our memory verse was. Sometimes we had to memorize many paragraphs, and it could be challenging. But for that quiz day, we had to memorize just one little verse. I almost forgot to study. 
  

Here’s the verse: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will depend on the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7) 
  

Maybe the reason my Bible teacher chose that verse was because it has such an important and timeless message. I still remember it to this day, and occasionally it will pop into my mind when I find myself trusting in something that may fade away – or something unworthy of my trust. 

When I was a high schooler trying to understand what the verse meant, I noted that the Egyptians who trusted in their horses and chariots ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea once the Lord closed the path after the Israelites passed through. We don’t have chariots anymore, so I thought perhaps the modern equivalent would be cars. But then I realized that the “chariots” could be anything. We could be trusting in a job, our own intelligence, our family, our friends, our good looks, our money, our possessions. While it’s a good idea to have a trustworthy circle, it’s important to remember that anyone or anything can pass away or fail us -- except Christ. 

Often, we discover our trust has been misplaced after we suffer a loss -- like a job or a relationship. Do you remember a time when you lost someone or something that mattered to you, and you realized you needed to lean on God more? He will never leave us, and He’s the only one we can fully count on. 

I really like this quote, though I can’t remember where I first heard it: “Trust not in past victories but in the God who gave them.” Remember God is the one who gives us all that we have. He alone is worthy of our trust. 

By Melissa Landon Schnell