Hrooms and Shrooms

God Is Not My Backup Generator

I was fretting about something this morning, so I was looking at Psalm 71.

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame! (Psalm 71:1 ESV)

I was struck by the idea that when I take refuge in God—when I put my trust in Him—it shouldn’t be a backup plan. God is not a backup generator that kicks in when the power goes out.

I think I treat God as a backup generator. It’s as if I’m saying “Lord, I can handle most things. I can take care of myself pretty well. But it’s nice knowing that if I ever get into big trouble, you’ll be there to bail me out.”

When I start to think about the fact that the economy is tanking and I have no guarantee I’ll have a job in a month, I like to encourage myself by calculating how many months’ expenses I have saved up in the bank, remembering how capable I am and therefore likely to find good work, etc.

But that’s not the idea you get from the writer of this Psalm.

Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come … .
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you. (vv. 3-5)

This guy is dependent on the Lord. If God doesn’t come through for him, he’s toast. He knows that, and he sees God’s continual faithfulness, and so he has hope, and his mouth is filled with God’s praise. He’s put all his eggs in one basket. God is not his backup.

Although I usually fail to recognize it, God is my only hope! I live, and breathe, and am blessed, because of his grace. He has promised that he will not forsake me. And so it really makes no difference whether I have money in the bank. Or whether I can think of a plan to deal with whatever issue I am facing. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” If I can trust in Jesus to cover my sins and save my soul, why not the little stuff?

My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt. (vv. 23-24)