Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (7) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. (8) It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
I don't know about you but, I am excited to hear what God has to say today! I feel like we can take on the world right now! I don't know what is going to happen today but, I have a peace about it, because God is in control.
God I pray that you will teach us something today that we can hold on to for the rest of our lives. Guide us by Your Holy Spirit in the things we do not know. Shine Your light on the darkness to reveal Your ways to us. And lead us into that place where You are. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
You know there are times when we need to look up words for the meaning and when we can do a whole study on those words? Today we won't do that. I prayed that God would guide my hands to write what He wants written. I have no idea what is going to happen. So, buckle up because here we go!
The first verse is easy to understand but, that is the dangerous part! Sometimes we see a verse like that and just go over it because we understand what it's saying. However, we do not take it to heart, perhaps because we know it but, don't want to acknowledge it. Have you ever listened to someone talk to you but, weren't really listening to what they were saying? You probably heard only a little bit of what they had to say and were thinking of how to respond while they continue to talk. "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him" Proverbs 18:13. Often, too often, we don't listen as much as we speak. I again bring to mind the two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk. Doing this very thing helps relationships with family and friends. However, I digress from what was really being said. We shouldn't skim over the bible and it's passages. Especially if we don't get what it is talking about. If it doesn't make sense, find someone like your pastor or someone you know is very mature in Christ and ask them what it means. Seek "wise" counsel for those kinds of matters. Not to mention pray and ask God to reveal it to you, which He sometimes answers those prayers by you asking your pastor or mature friend. For me, I would ask my pastor or my parents because I knew I could trust them and had confidence that they wouldn't lie to me or tell me what they wanted me to hear or do.
So, lets look at the verse now. Trust in the Lord with All your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Sometimes the Lord brings us to places that don't make sense to us. He asks us to trust Him but, our minds get in the way. We think we know where we should go and God is being ridicules but, in fact we can't see over the hill in front of us! It's like a blind person saying to someone who can see, " I've done this kind of thing a hundred times! I can do it again!" In those times we should let go of our understanding and let Him lead. It's hard I know but, I also know that I can trust God with my life. He has never in the past let me down, why should I now not trust Him?
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Another clear passage, but what does it look like in a practical sense? It says "in All your ways acknowledge Him" but, what does that look like? Prayer is one way to acknowledge Him. Have you ever prayed before a game with your family, a trip to the beach, or something else that doesn't seem like you need to pray about? Maybe your own health even though it is just a cold? Or perhaps a trip to the grocery store? It doesn't have to be a big and poetic prayer, just something to thank God and ask His blessing on what is going to happen. It is short and easy to do, it also makes me glad knowing He is behind me when I do say that short prayer. From there He has always guided me. He will never force His will on us and always wait for us to ask for His bless and guidance. Try it, just say a simple " Lord bless this time and show us your will". He will be faithful to show up and guide everyone who earnestly prays that prayer.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. Yet another clear passage. I love it when it is easy to understand. Do not be wise in your own eyes. To be wise in our own eyes is to not accept advice or seek advice from others. To think we know everything and have calculated every possible outcome. I have learn from chess that this is not possible to do. Your opponent will always have or do something you do not expect if you think you know everything. Likewise, Satan loves it when we think we can do it on our own because he knows we can't and will, at that point, be easy to trip up. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. Often times when we fall, it is because we slowly fed the beast. "A little here and there won't hurt" we think to ourselves. However they do hurt and maybe not even just us but, other people as well. We need to call sin what God calls sin. The little battles are almost more important than the big ones. We do well in fighting it when we win the little battles. It is harder to fight a bunch of small enemies than one big one and the small ones tear down our defence and make us weaker so that we can't even stand up to the big one. Guard yourselves from the little ones so that you can fight the big one.
It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. All of these things, again, are from God. I take no credit from this, for God is the one in control of all things. Knowing this has helped me tremendously throughout my life and given me health and strength in a spiritual sense. And it will for you all as well. When we let go of our will and lay it before Him, life is just so much better. I can't even begin to imagine all the trouble I would be in without my Creator with me. I do know, however, that I would be dead if not for God's intervention in my life. I can't say the same for you but, I know He has done wonderful things for you as well. Just pause with me for a moment and think of all God has done for us, or just for you personally. Try and take a moment out of your day or week and just think of God's goodness, love, mercy, grace, and peace that He so freely give each and everyone of us.
"Lord, we praise you for your love. I thank you, personally, for saving me from taking my own life. For always being there and showing me your ways. Please help us to keep all of this in mind and take it to heart as we move on through Proverbs. Thank you Father".
Praise God for His word and willingness to help us when we ask for it.
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