PRIMARY

One of the critical questions for those of us who have committed our lives to Christ is: 'Do I live each day actually trusting Him as my Savior?'

The Biblical idea of salvation is far more than saying a prayer and getting somewhere good after you die. It intersects your whole life - all of it - every relationship - every need and care - every problem - and everything good as well.

We have to be careful not to fall back to self-reliance after we come to faith - at the point where we said we would follow Him forever - when we said we would 'take up a cross and deny ourselves.' That's the direct opposite of self-reliance.

That means we can't look so much to self-improvement theories; we need to look to Jesus. If our marriage is hurting, we can try everything under the sun to fix it and make things right, but Jesus is where ultimate answers lie. Counselors can help; doctors can help; pastors and small groups can help. Jesus uses all those. But the decisive channel has to do with our primary trust. Our PRIMARY trust. When I struggle, in whom do I put my primary and fundamental trust? In myself? In my family? In some professional? Or in Jesus?

And be blessed.