The motto “In God We Trust” appears on United States national currency. However, are believers trusting in God, or in the United States of America? Many believers have become frustrated and fearful over current events because they have fallen into the “America Idol” trap. We have made an idol out of the United States, rather than putting 100% trust in God and God alone.
Worshipping the Wrong Things
When God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, they were given incredible wealth from their former slave masters.
Now the children of Israel had done according to the world of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes.
When the Israelites left Egypt, they were swimming in plunder! Later, Moses went up Mount Sinai, where God gave him the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, the Israelites created a golden calf to worship out of the gold the Lord had provided to them. The very thing that the Lord had given them to bless them, they made into an idol and began to worship. No wonder Moses was so angry when he returned to find them worshipping an image that had done, and could do, absolutely nothing for them.
God wanted them to have the gold! He gave it to them. It was part of His gift of taking them out of slavery into freedom. But He certainly didn’t intend for them to take what He had given and begin to worship it instead of Him.
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image…”
— Exodus 20:1-4
The America Idol
Carlie and I moved here from England. We were very patriotic to our home country, but when the Lord led us to America, He redirected our hearts. It’s like adopting a child: we weren’t born here, but we chose it as our own. Carlie and I love this country that has become our home!
The United States of America was a gift from God, built on godly principles. It is a nation of unprecedented freedom. However, have we begun to idolize the very gift, the freedom and prosperity, that God has given us? Have we put our nation above God and begun to worship and put our trust in the gift, rather than the Giver?
The danger with living in a country as wonderful as the United States is is that one can easily begin to put trust in the country itself. It is an easy thing to begin to trust the country for hope, peace, security, prosperity and welfare, instead of trusting Jesus. Many countries don’t have a system that can be trusted, so the believers there are less likely to fall into this.
Although the motto “In God We Trust” is printed on all our money, it’s not always the case. Right now in America we are seeing fruit of people who have put their trust in their country rather than in their God. There are many believers who are in complete turmoil. Have you lost your peace? If you have, you need to examine your heart and ask yourself, “Where have I placed my trust? Am I trusting in God, or am I trusting in my government, my country?”
In God We Trust
Laws may be passed that break our hearts. Decisions may be made that are destructive to national security. Perhaps the freedoms granted to us by the Bill of Rights are infringed upon. Maybe the government will raise your taxes, or make it more challenging to find employment. Regardless of who is in power, these things may happen, and there will be some kind of unrest.
The truth is, this world will go through challenging times, in the United States and elsewhere, and we cannot rely on any part of the world’s system to bring us peace! Our trust, our deepest hope and confidence, simply cannot be in any person or political party, nor in any laws or systems that are in place. Even in peaceful times, when everything is going well, our trust must be in Jesus, alone! That’s where we find peace and victory in this life.
5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. 6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
God Will Take Care of You
God will take care of you, even when “heat” comes! When your faith is in Jesus, it doesn’t matter what circumstances are around you. You will flourish, you will prosper, and you will continuously bear fruit! Yes, as Americans, we live in a wonderful country, and we should continue to pray, and vote, and speak out for our freedom. However, we can continue to do this in peace as we keep our eyes firmly set on Jesus (Isaiah 26:3)!
Related Resources
To learn more about staying in peace in the middle of any storm, read a few of our other encouraging teaching articles:
Powerful Under Pressure: Designed to Thrive in Stressful Times