Month: September 2025

A Special Place for Trust

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 25:1

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”

“Trust” is a very important word in the Christian life. Merriam-Webster defines trust as firm belief in the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; a person or thing in which confidence is placed.

In Psalms 25:1, the Hebrew word for “trust” is a form of the verb “batach,” meaning to secure, be confident, or rely upon. It suggests refuge in God, implying a feeling of safety and security obtained from God’s steadfastness and protection.

Today, I’m pondering David’s talk with, or prayer to, the Lord in Psalm 25, highlighting his confidence in the Lord and his statements of supplication, faith, encouragement and remembrance.

When reading this chapter, I’m reminded of the blessing of receiving and believing One who can be relied upon for the utmost trustworthiness. Isn’t it wonderful that this actually exists?

This chapter begins with David reiterating his trust in the Lord while requesting that the Lord would not allow his enemies to win or triumph over him, humiliating him. He reminds the Lord (and us) that no one who trusts in the Lord will ever be put to shame, but those who are “treacherous without a cause” will incur it. This reminds me of Proverbs 17:13 that says, “Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.”

David then declaring God as his Savior, requests God’s guidance into His truth, teaching him His ways and paths, as his hope is all day in God. We see David reiterating God’s mercy and love, asking him not to remember his rebellious ways or the sins of his youth. Citing the Lord’s goodness and uprightness, he recalls the Lord’s instruction toward sinners and his guidance and teaching of what is right, and His way, to the humble. In addition, stating that all the Lord’s ways are loving and faithful toward those who keep the requirements his covenant.

When we think of David’s story which is transparently provided for us all to read, we see some of the terrible mistakes he made in addition to his great successes. Now we see David praying, for the sake of the Lord’s name, that his iniquity (described as great) is forgiven.

David then highlights the blessings of those who fear the Lord:

  • God will instruct them in the way that they should choose.
  • They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.
  • The Lord confides in them making His covenant known to them.

Regarding David’s enemies, he acknowledges that only God can release his feet from captivity and that his eyes were ever on the Lord, asking Him to turn to him and be gracious to him. He also confesses being lonely, afflicted, troubled and in need of freedom from the anguish in his heart. David again requests God’s removal of his sins, noting the number of his enemies and the fierceness of their hate, asking God to rescue him and guard his life, declaring the Lord as His refuge.

Because of David’s hope being in the Lord, he asks that integrity and uprightness protect him. Then, in conclusion, we see David asking for the deliverance of Israel from all their troubles.

This passage shows me the sincere transparency of a man with His God. He speaks freely of all his troubles, but also godly beliefs, putting his hope and trust in the only one with the power to save him. I’m sure God loves this about David and it’s graciously recorded for us to consider.

The Wise Small Ones

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Proverbs 30:24

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:” …

The Bible doesn’t describe these things in Proverbs 30 as wise alone, but rather as extremely wise. This means they exceed the average level of wisdom, possessing good judgment and sense, and applying their knowledge and experience to achieve good results.

Ants: They are “creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer” (Proverbs 30:25). The Bible also highlights their wisdom in Proverbs 6:6-8. It speaks of how their ways are to be considered–how they have no overseer, but they store food in the winter and gather it at harvest.

They can carry 10 to 50 times their own body weight, and they have no ears, but detect vibrations in the ground using a sensory organ below their knee. Not only that, they communicate by releasing chemical signals called pheromones that act as alarm signals, food trails, or indicators of death.

As tiny as they are, ants have two stomachs, one for their own consumption and the other for storing food to share with other ants in the colony.

Remarkably, they’ve been around for 130 million years, having survived an extinction that killed the dinosaurs. A more in-depth study of these individuals reveals how wonderfully they are crafted. To us, they may seem a nuisance, but what I’ve gathered of them recently reminds me of how fascinating they actually are.

Hyraxes: They “are creatures of little power, but make their homes in crags” (Proverbs 30:26). Crags are steep, rugged masses of rock that project upward or outward from larger rocky masses, cliffs, or mountains. Hyraxes have rubbery, suction-cup-like feet for climbing, have tusk-like incisors, and live in colonies. Though they look like rodents, they are closest to the elephant family. Hyraxes are also mentioned in Psalm 104:18, where crags are described as a refuge for them.

Locusts: They “have no king, yet they advance together in ranks” (Proverbs 30:27). The Bible mentions locusts as a tool of God’s wrath and judgment, a devastating force, multiple times, particularly in the plague of locusts in Exodus 10, and the prophetic descriptions in the books of  Joel and Revelation.

Lizards: Interestingly, these creatures “can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces” (Proverbs 30:28). In the Bible, this indicates how they are easily captured, yet found in high places, symbolizing the power of perseverance and ability to overcome limitations and achieve great things, even in high-status environments. 

Moreover, lizards have shown how the seemingly weak or humble can demonstrate great wisdom and resilience, finding their way into positions of influence through shrewdness and an unwavering spirit. 

These are just a few amazing creatures, among others, that apparently God thought interesting enough to mention in His wonderful book. They are just small masterpieces that God has so graciously given them unique qualities, and He counts them as wise. Though small, they are great at their jobs. Upon further study, you may find various other amusing things that they are all known for.

When It Seems Too Hard to Forgive

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Matthew 6:14

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

It may seem as if it’s really impossible to forgive this time. But it’s extremely worth it. Despite how difficult it may be, it is doable. We all just need some help. We can’t do it alone. We need the supernatural help of the Lord.

We are people made of spirit, soul, and body. We have an intellect, but we also have emotions or feelings that affect our bodies. When we forgive, we release our offender of the wrong they’ve done to us and no longer hold it against them. We also release those negative emotions of anger and hurt, which translate to stress on the body.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and “members of one body,” we were “called to peace.” So, we should “let the peace of Christ rule” in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Unforgiveness and the angst it causes do not make room for peace.

Our Wonderful Counselor (Peleh Yoetz, in Hebrew) has given us access to His Holy Spirit, who helps us to be successful in the act of forgiveness. However, forgiveness isn’t easy and in some instances feels impossible, but it is doable with the Lord’s help.

I’m reminded of two instances where I was angry and hurt in two different work situations, but because I involved God in my situation, I was able to forgive and move past the offenses. One was a supervisor who rudely disrespected me.

The one thing I didn’t do right was I refused to share the offense with him, as I didn’t want him to think I was being petty or oversensitive. Instead, I stewed in the offense, letting it replay repeatedly in my mind after I’d left the office. The Bible clearly addresses offense in Matthew 18:15-17:

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

So I decided to actively remember what my heavenly Father says about forgiveness and do something about it. I didn’t have the feeling inside to forgive because I felt justified in my anger, and could not change the way I felt at that time. However, I wanted to forgive. Yet, I chose to forgive intellectually, since I could not do so emotionally.

I knew the truth according to the Bible, but I just didn’t want to acknowledge it right away. I wanted to dwell on what was done to me in pity. However, I really didn’t want to go to bed angry and knew I had to face him again in the office the next day.

At this point, I knew I had to take those emotions to the Lord for help to change my feelings. So, before bed that night, I prayed that I’d forgive my supervisor, but asked that God would help me to truly move past it in my heart, as I had no real feelings of forgiveness. I felt the same: mad, but with the willingness to let it go. I went to sleep that night and awoke the next morning; in all honesty, with no feelings of anger. I was amazed. Also, I never told my supervisor that I had been offended by him, though I should have. However, I figured since I had forgiven him, what was the point? Yet a kind and honest talk might have helped him in the future.

Now I’m not saying this is what happens in every case of offense, as every case is different. However, we are told to forgive, so we truly can forgive in every case. God doesn’t tell us to do anything that we are unable to do. There may be other unique ways he chooses to bring about our sincere forgiveness.

In the next instance, I was new to a work environment, and the person who helped me with my new position was very curt and unpleasant in her assistance. She was offensive in her behavior, and I was warned that every new person had to incur her wrath.

However, I need to give some credit to my local church home at the time, which was very strong in teaching biblical principles for relationships. I drew from them what I had learned in our Bible studies. I found it an interesting challenge to try out these bible truths and see what I’d get.

I was determined to show her respect and kindness, and it wasn’t long before she was my best friend at that office–to the point where she invited me for dinner with her and a few neighbors at her and her husband’s home, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Turned out she was nothing like the mean woman she tried to portray herself as, and I never had another problem with her for the duration of my time with that company.

Nevertheless, this was another time where I didn’t tell her about what she did that offended me; I just treated her the opposite of the way she treated me. Yet I’m learning to become more transparent. I later found she was actually a softy inside. Sometimes, it’s not really about us being so unliked, but the person who’s being mean that has issues and needs our compassion. No doubt they need our honesty too, but only in the right spirit.

Now, of course, there may be cases of abuse where situations are handled differently. Yet the result remains the same. We must forgive. Being led by the Holy Spirit in each case of offense may require different ways of communicating. Also, one may not necessarily want or need to continue a relationship with the offender. However, unforgiveness is not an option as the teachings of Jesus require that we forgive those who have wronged us.

We can be sure there will be many times in life when we’ll be offended by others. Yet, it has been to my benefit to take every case to the Lord in prayer for His wisdom and spiritual strength in forgiving someone. He can give you the ability to forgive, release, and have peace about the offense. Just don’t try to do it alone. Let God’s Holy Spirit help you succeed, remembering, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11).

Akin to Our Dad

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Genesis 1:27

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Remarkably, we humans were created in the image of the Almighty God, our Heavenly Father. As we know, an image is a likeness of a person or thing.

And what might we gather from God’s image as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? That we share a tripartite existence, a commonality that unites us. We, His children, are spirit, soul, and body.

As we study the Bible, we begin to see that God has emotions and feelings just like we do. He feels joy, anger, gladness, and sadness, among other things. He has many ways about Him, and we are blessed to even know Him, not to mention be called His children and heirs. Do we realize the magnitude of such a wonder?

We were actually given the ability to be reborn of the Spirit and to receive forgiveness of all of our sins. We have been redeemed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we are now His.

He graciously shares His eternal life as well as the fruit of His Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our God is love, and His image reflects it as should ours. In His Bible, we are told in 1 Corinthians 13 that: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” This essence, or some would say commitment, called love, is unmatched.

When God created mankind, He didn’t intend for them to sin and be separated from God. Likewise, he never desired the act of rebellion from any of His angels. However, it occurred because He’s given us the will to choose.

Would we have our children love us as puppets manipulated with strings? No. We’d prefer a free will of love toward us from those we hold dear, not adoration or intimacy we’ve programmed or forced.

As we desire companionship, fellowship, love, respect, and attention, so does our Dad. Moreover, He desires to be involved in our decision-making, as we sometimes want our involvement in others’. Thankfully, He generously shares His wisdom, along with His fruit of patience and self-control, as we proceed by faith toward a blessed outcome.

Should we desire to be like anyone, it is surely our heavenly Father–living consistently, with the fruit of His Holy Spirit, being whoever we are, and doing whatever we do, with love.