Psalm 56:11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”
Psalm 115:9-11 “O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.”
On March 3rd, 1865, Congress passed a bill requiring the words “In God We Trust” be engraved on all gold and silver coins. It was the last bill that President Abraham Lincoln signed into law before his assassination. Though that slogan had been engraved on some U.S. coins before that time, it was that federal act that first formalized an acknowledgment of the need for a trust in God into nationwide law.
These leaders were able to enshrine In God We Trust into the nation’s law because it was already enshrined in Christian theology. In a Biblically literate society, they had read about and understood the trustworthiness of God as revealed in His Word.
When God says something once, early American leaders knew to believe it. When He says something back-to-back-to-back, as He does in Psalm 115, then they knew it should be on the forefront of their minds. In fact, such a thing was well worthy of engraving onto those things that would fill every pocket and populate every wallet.
Interesting, there was a bit of a debate about engraving “In God We Trust” on every coin in 1865. There were those in Congress who thought that such a phrase was inappropriate. Interestingly though, it wasn’t because they were secular humanists who strove to purge every mention of God from their society. No, just the opposite. A contingent in Congress had a better alternative – “In God Alone Is Our Trust.” This group of federal legislators wanted to emphasize that God was not just to be trusted as a prominent element of society, but instead as the preeminent element of society. He wasn’t just to be highly trusted, but ultimately trusted. While it was the shorter more catchy motto that was signed into law, the more powerful intent is engrained into the fabric of American society!
PLEASE TRUST IN GOD AS NOT JUST PROMINENT, BUT PREEMINENT. Every time we look in our pockets, purses, or wallets, may we remember that God is to be ultimately trusted. After all, it is right to remember that – In God Alone Is Our Trust!
ADMIN: I won’t be publishing a PLUS blog next weekend, but please keep praying faithfully for widespread revival in the United States of America!
