Acknowledging Him

I went through a discipleship class where we were asked to choose our “life verse”. This was a passage of scripture that meant something significant to us, something that we could draw on in times of stress or uncertainty for guidance. Students chose a variety of verses. Jeremiah 29:11 was a popular choice:

For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

The 23^rd Psalm was a favorite:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…

The passage of scripture that was chosen most often was Proverbs 3:5-6

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.

I understand why this is a favorite. Who doesn’t want straight paths? To be able to walk unimpeded, down a long straight path where you can see forever sounds like the kind of directed life I want! I have to wonder if those who chose this verse counted the cost.

Trust in the Lord – Look to him. Where do we find his words? In the Bible. So trusting in him means trusting what he says enough to act on it. Obedience. Boy, do we dislike that “O” word. But trusting is an action. And not just some of his word, but all of it. Even the hard parts.

Trust…with all your heart – Wholehearted trust, not now-and-then, when-I-feel-like-it trust. Not occasional trust. Trust when it’s hard, when what he asks requires sacrifice.

Do not lean on your own understanding – Trust, even when it seems wrong. Trust him, even when I don’t get it. When I don’t get the job. When I don’t get the man, or the money, or whatever it is that I want and think would be good for me. Trust when things are hard, when my daughter is in the hospital, or my husband wrecked the car. Trust that God is bigger than whatever I am going through, and can take care of me.

In all your ways acknowledge him – In everything. At the soccer game, even when the officials are obviously blind. At the job, even when the boss is grumpy. Acknowledge him in all those places and in the “way” you do everything. The word “acknowledge” means more than a head nod. It has connotations of fellowship. He indwells us, so wherever we go, he goes. Whatever we participate in, he has some fellowship with. We drag him into every tantrum we throw, every snarky word we mutter, and every unloving action we take. Can love participate in unloving attitudes? No! We must reflect him in every “way” we go, acknowledging the truth of his life in us.

After we trust and acknowledge, then he makes our paths straight. He removes the obstacles that hinder us from living a life that honors him. You can’t get much straighter than that.

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a favorite verse of mine, too. I didn’t choose it as my life verse, but I would have done well to do so. There is no one more trust worthy than the Lord. There is no greater way to live a life than in acknowledgement of him.