Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Some of us grew up singing this old gospel song in church, Some of you may have rarely heard it at all. But there’s a ton of truth to be found here.

Trust (or faith or belief) and Obedience (or actions or works) seem to be opposites. Many in the church teach that. But in reality they are flip sides of the same coin.

• You won’t obey someone you don’t trust.
• You cannot say you trust someone and ignore their directions.

Then what does it mean to trust God? Simply put, it means to believe that He is and that He cares, and that in spite of our apparent circumstances, He is good and wants what’s best for us.

And what does it mean to obey? It means to choose to do what He says instead of what my own desires are. But how do we know what He wants? Simple, the Bible, clearly read and understood. Where it is clear, don’t muddy it. Where it is fuzzy, don’t pick put your own interpretation as absolute.

But we need to always avoid the two ditches of legalism and license.

• Legalism says God will love me when I behave.
• License says God loves me, so I can behave anyway I want.
• The Bible says God loves me and Christ died for me so that He can remake me into the person who wants to live His way, think His way, love His way.

Good News!

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
Psalm 84:11-12 (ESV)

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
Isaiah 50:10 (ESV)

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

John H. Sammis, 1887