Some Trust in Chariots

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7) Try any channel on the TV dial today and you’ll eventually hear a commercial encouraging you to make your financial investment in gold. The pitch, regardless of the pitchman, makes the case that we are in dire economic times and gold is the one sure hedge against the enemies of the nest egg. The truth is the American collective wealth has plummeted a couple of trillion dollars in the past few years and probably everyone with a 401k, IRA or some other savings or reserve fund, including equity in their home, has lost a “huge chunk” of it, if not all of it. With that weighing on peoples’ psyche, the commercial suggests that placing one’s financial trust in the safety of gold is the wisest move possible.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” (Luke 14:28-30) How unwise it is to not prepare for the future. We are counseled to build our house on the rock lest the storm wash it away. This is not just Biblical advice; it is a good practical prescription for any endeavor. So, investing in gold, say, as opposed to the stock market, or Treasury notes, or savings bonds, etc. is likely to be a prudent practical investment strategy considering the times. Yet the Bible is loaded with examples of how the ancient Hebrews resisted the advice of the prophets to trust in God first for their welfare rather than on the arm of man. God never said not to sow and reap. He said “You shall have not other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) He never said, ‘gold is bad . . . you should not have any.’ No. In fact, when they left Egypt He loaded them up with Egyptian gold. All He asked was ‘put Me first!’ And that’s what's missing from these gold commercials. We are encouraged to believe that if we convert our investments from other things to gold we will be secure. For those who are making this move without placing God first in their lives, they can be assured it will be insufficient. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."