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Where do we Place our Trust? by Greg Mattson

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

In whom or where do we put our trust?  I know that the Sunday school answer is Jesus but I am asking this question to cause us to really ponder the truth of our answer.

Many of you know that I truly love fishing and have since age of four.  I’ve spent a lifetime pursuing this hobby.  I can sit in a boat without food and water for hours in bad weather and still call it a riot.  To some this seems absolutely crazy but for me fishing is a refuge away from the busyness and stress of the world.

One evening, I was fishing large Mille Lacs Lake.  It was a calm summer night as I headed out in my boat with all the electronics anyone would want including a GPS.  I motored out about 4-5 miles from our cabin and started fishing.  As the night progressed, I was catching fish which kept me entertained.  As it became late the fog started coming in.  Before long it was so thick , I couldn’t even see my anchor or navigation lights.  I wasn’t worried because the lake was like glass but decided Cory might be worrying so I lifted my anchor convinced that I could find my way home.

I began motoring slowly since there are spots with rocks that are only 2 feet below the surface that could really wreck a boat.  After several minutes of motoring, my GPS told me I was going the wrong way!  I decided the GPS wasn’t working properly due to the fog and continued to plot my own course.  I had fished this area numerous times before and knew better than my GPS.  After motoring around aimlessly for an hour getting farther and farther from my cabin, I decided to finally ask for directions from my GPS which is really hard to admit as a male.  Through the thickest fog I have ever seen, my GPS brought me right to my dock.  I was really relieved to finally be at home.

Recently, Cory and I were headed to the Cities and our GPS kept trying to bring us a direction that we ignored.  We laughed stating we knew better than the GPS and would ask for help only if we got lost!  We agreed that this is so reflective of our own personal faith walks.   Many times we like to believe we are in control.  Don’t worry God, I’ve got this only to find ourselves stressed out and lost turning to God crying out for help!  I know that all of us have experienced this.  The Bible is full of story after story of the Israelites believing that they knew better.  The Golden calf? Their trust in themselves led them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.  God told them to take the land but they lacked trust in God and therefore suffered the consequences.

As a church body, New life is now in the process of starting the search for a third pastor.  This person will serve an executive roll including assistance with hospital/nursing home visits, help with discipleship and shepherding as well as helping new people get assimilated into our family, etc.   These are all things we have realized need more attention in order to better serve the body.  We, the elders and pastors, have spent a year praying over this and feel that this is God’s direction for us.  This is a step of faith because we trust God will support this position financially just as he has with both Tony and Chandler.  We will keep you updated on this exciting development but ask that you continue to keep our future pastor and this position in prayer.

It is truly a blessing to serve as an elder here at New Life.  God is doing amazing things through the local churches both here in Dresser as well as around the world.  May we continue to proclaim that the only place we put our trust is in Jesus alone!

In Christ, greg

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