Two words drawn in the sand at low tide provided the direction for my thoughts Wednesday as I walked along the beach just after sunrise: Trust God.

Easier said than done.

We live in an era and among a people that distrusts authority, while at the same time believing anything and everything we see on the internet. That probably is a sign of a less than healthy society.

Admittedly, authority should be tested and trust should be earned. God is okay with that. History shows us that when temporal authorities fail, God always comes through.

Not that we want to believe that. Because, if God can be trusted then there are logical consequences that flow from that.

Starts with the question of who is in charge. We humans have done such a great job with our planet and our relationships, you would think we would be happy to take guidance from someone with more expertise, the designer of the whole thing.

How often does that happen? Given the state of the world, not enough.

Maybe it is fitting therefore that the suggestion that we trust God was written in the sand, where a few hours later it had been covered by the incoming tide. For the message to stay there permanently, a stark reminder of what we need to do, might spoil more than one person’s vacation.

Even with the words washed away, the truth remains. If we want things to get better, on a personal level or a societal one, it has to start by trusting God.