This trusty Proverb contains one of the most memorized pair of verses in the Bible: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct they paths.” (Proverb 3:5 & 6) These two verses are the most popular life verses among servants of God. And the reason appears obvious because of the vital life instructions combined with the dynamic promise of God that they contain.
These verses have been put to music, they have been etched upon wall hangings, and written by those who do calligraphy for others because of the great popularity they have among born-again Christians. These are the verses God brings to mind when I am in distress, when I have questions that need answering, when I am seeking His will concerning a specific matter or decision, and they always bring the peace of God that passes all understanding because of the Godly formula they give for any situation that I face, for nothing is too hard for God. All things are possible with Him!!
God will always stand by His Word! He will bring to pass that which is best for us if we simply TRUST Him. Faith operates the hand of God: “For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) If we seek Him, He will not leave us comfortless, He will answer…His way…always the best way, even though things may look bleak in the short term, His way and will brings triumph and victory every single time as we simply TRUST in Him!
Trusting is the first step, obedience is the second. When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, acts of obedience are required to not only demonstrate our trust in Him, but we also are blessed by doing exactly what is required according to His revealed will found in His precious Word. Acknowledging Him means witnessing for Him at every opportunity!
Acknowledging Him means taking a Godly stand in the way we carry ourselves in private and public. Modesty in dress, music that is not worldly, activities that can be rightly done in His presence, whatever we eat or drink or do we must do all to the glory of God. This is how we acknowledge Him in everything that is our life…especially showing THE LOVE that Jesus demonstrated on the Cross to others. “Greater LOVE has no man that this” (John 15:13).
This simple four letter word was Jesus great concern on the night before the Cross of Calvary (John 13-17). LOVING the brethren was also John the Apostle of Love’s great concern as he told the Christians at the church in Ephesus when they asked him for one great truth when they carried him into the church on a litter when he was over ninety years old, he rightly proclaimed “LOVE ONE ANOTHER”! These were his only words as they asked him for some great truth!!
This supernatural Holy Spirit-filled LOVE is how those who are not saved know we are Christians…they need to SEE THE LOVE…not the fleshly love the lost person experiences which is based upon selfish me-first principles, no, the AGAPE LOVE that only the Holy Spirit produces in the born from above Believer. This is what the world deserves to see in us, so that they can tell that we have been with Jesus. Our LOVING SAVIOR demonstrated this LOVE when He was willing to shed His precious Blood for the sins of humanity in order that we might have the Life which He so freely gave as He suffered, bled, died and rose again for our justification over two thousand years ago.
This LOVE demonstrated to all is what is meant when we are told to “Acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths” in the Proverb for today. Drivers, these might well be good life verses for ya’ll! They provide all we need to know and do His will in this coming New Year. Trust in Him with all your heart, don’t lean on your own thinking/understanding, but in all your ways let the world know you are His child, and He promises to direct your every path, your every highway and every stop, His way if you simply TRUST, OBEY by following His will for this New Year!
This powerful Proverb contains so much more than simply these two life verses because just as in the first two Proverbs, Solomon is focusing upon his son (v.1) and the necessities for living a life that is God-honoring. Search out the rest of this great series of Proverbs and learn exactly how the LORD wants you to live as we go forward for Him!