Trust

NIV: my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
MSG: He proved he's on my side; I've thrown my lot in with him.
AMP: my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped;
KJV: my heart trusted in him, and I am helped:

I often like to compare different versions of scripture so I can get a better understanding of what I am reading. While the KJV is sometimes harder to understand, I like to use it as my baseline. I feel it is the most 'unpolluted' by our common language.

Looking at the next part of the verse, I notice that the KJV states 'my heart trusted' (past tense / done) and 'I am helped' (present tense). The other three versions all make the tenses agree, but I think they kinda miss the point in doing that.

You see, my heart need only trust once; but I am helped forever...daily...moment-by-moment. It is not something that has to happen in conjunction each day. I think this is where a lot of people get confused.

They are constantly going up to the alter and re-committing their lives to Jesus, convinced that is the only way Jesus can/will forgive them. Yet, that is the thing that makes Christianity so different from all other religions. We don't have to do anything except 'trust' and as a result, many things change.

Think of your child (such wonderful examples!). What does he/she have to do to win your love? Nothing, right? Yet, he/she has been horrible to you and doesn't feel like they deserve your love, so they try and do things to please you, when all you want to do is have them 'trust you love.' You know that when they truly believe you love them, regardless of what they have done, he/she will be helped; forever and always. It is not until that trust occurs that anything else can take place.

I believe that Jesus wants that for us. He wants to help us, to guide us, to love us; but we are so convinced that it is not that easy and we must do something more to 'earn' His love. Eph 2:8 tells us that we are saved by grace, not our actions or works. I think it is really hard for most of us to believe it though. Why? Because we have reduced God to human terms.

There aren't any people who would give us such grace and we think the same of God (most times).

Yet, all we have to do is trust...so easy, yet so hard. I wonder what is keeping you from trusting Him with your whole heart and being helped...