Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do
not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He
will direct your paths Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and
depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. – Proverbs 3:5-8
So often I quote only the verses 5 and 6 to the neglect of the warning in verse 7 and promise in verse 8. In my view, trust is the same as faith. Perhaps simplistic, but I would prefer to not wrangle with how many angels and stand on the head (or point) of a pin. An argument considered by medieval theologians.
Because of our old nature, we all struggle with putting the full weight of our trust in God and not reserving some of that trust for ourselves. Have you ever leaned against or stepped on or sat on something and it started to give way – to not support you? I have. That feeling you get in that instant when what was supposed to support you doesn’t, is what I am talking about. That anxious moment when you think you are going to fall. That is why we don’t trust God – faith God – fully. Why we tether ourselves with a rope of self-trust.
Knowing that God is sovereign is not enough for most of us. I get myself into trouble because of what I am about to write. I prefer not to pray for “traveling mercies”. Follow me on this. I am in the palm of the Father’s hand. He is the Creator God. But, I live in the physical which is fraught with danger. Bad, unpleasant things happen to Christians. We all know that – so we pray – please don’t let me be the one those unpleasant things happen to. I think a more appropriate prayer would be – “Lord give me the strength to bear what ever comes my way, to stay my trust in You.” To which people reply, “Do you mean you should not pray for healing?” That is not what I am suggesting. Of course our choice is not to be injured or sick but even if we are, we must continue to trust in God’s sovereignty and sufficiency.
In the Mercy Me song “Even If” a verse says “I know You're able and I know You can. Save through the fire with Your mighty hand. But even if You don't. My hope is You alone.” I think that is actually a reference to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing the fiery furnace.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. – Daniel 3:17-18
In the midst of the fire there were four men walking.
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” – Daniel 3:25
The quality of your Christian life will always fall short of its God-intended potential if you are content with a half-hearted faith.
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
That is God’s intent for us. To show the world Jesus, not matter what comes our way – good or bad. But we will fulfill His intent only when the full weight of our trust is placed on Him. Traveling mercies or not.
So often I quote only the verses 5 and 6 to the neglect of the warning in verse 7 and promise in verse 8. In my view, trust is the same as faith. Perhaps simplistic, but I would prefer to not wrangle with how many angels and stand on the head (or point) of a pin. An argument considered by medieval theologians.
Because of our old nature, we all struggle with putting the full weight of our trust in God and not reserving some of that trust for ourselves. Have you ever leaned against or stepped on or sat on something and it started to give way – to not support you? I have. That feeling you get in that instant when what was supposed to support you doesn’t, is what I am talking about. That anxious moment when you think you are going to fall. That is why we don’t trust God – faith God – fully. Why we tether ourselves with a rope of self-trust.
Knowing that God is sovereign is not enough for most of us. I get myself into trouble because of what I am about to write. I prefer not to pray for “traveling mercies”. Follow me on this. I am in the palm of the Father’s hand. He is the Creator God. But, I live in the physical which is fraught with danger. Bad, unpleasant things happen to Christians. We all know that – so we pray – please don’t let me be the one those unpleasant things happen to. I think a more appropriate prayer would be – “Lord give me the strength to bear what ever comes my way, to stay my trust in You.” To which people reply, “Do you mean you should not pray for healing?” That is not what I am suggesting. Of course our choice is not to be injured or sick but even if we are, we must continue to trust in God’s sovereignty and sufficiency.
In the Mercy Me song “Even If” a verse says “I know You're able and I know You can. Save through the fire with Your mighty hand. But even if You don't. My hope is You alone.” I think that is actually a reference to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing the fiery furnace.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. – Daniel 3:17-18
In the midst of the fire there were four men walking.
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” – Daniel 3:25
The quality of your Christian life will always fall short of its God-intended potential if you are content with a half-hearted faith.
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
That is God’s intent for us. To show the world Jesus, not matter what comes our way – good or bad. But we will fulfill His intent only when the full weight of our trust is placed on Him. Traveling mercies or not.
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