Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
The operative word in this proverb is acknowledge. Acknowledge does not mean tipping your hat to Jesus whenever you go charging off on a scheme of your own invention.
Neither is it saying “I want to thank the Lord Jesus” in all the victory speeches of life.
Acknowledging the Lord means knowing him in all your ways.
When the doctor has just pronounced the sentence of death, you want to know the Lord – what does he say on the matter? It’s his word that counts.
When you’ve been offered a promotion or you’ve just met the perfect man or woman and it all seems good to you, you want to know the Lord – what does he think about this?
The spirit-conscious believer is actively disinterested in what her experience or natural understanding is telling her. Her sole desire is to know and follow Jesus.
When we know Jesus in the crossroads and crises of our life, we can be sure that he will keep us on a good track.
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Wise and Simple! Thanks Paul. Great stuff.
This reminds me of – what is to me – one of the most frightening scriptures in the Bible: Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never KNEW YOU; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (caps mine).
I’ll likely be criticised for calling it frightening, but in recent years it’s pushed me into dropping all the religious dogma and nonsense that’s particularly prevalent in the Western church and seek ways to really ‘know’ Him. In my case that means sitting and listening, talking (praying) and seeking.