“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 thy paths.”
-Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV). [Read Proverbs 3]
Continuing with
verses we ought to commit to memory, I was compelled to include
Proverbs 3:5-6. Early in my Christian walk, I memorized these two
verses and adopted them, along with other specific verses, to be my
“life verses”—that is, verses I would repeat often, meditate
upon and seek to live by the truths conveyed.
The wise pastor who taught me about the value of life verses and what they mean in a Christian’s life, the Rev. Claude C. Boynton, has long gone from this earthly scene. But his influence lives on in the way I conduct my life now, how I depend on the well-placed trust he taught me in the Lord. I thank him for his teaching and example.
Webster defines “trust” as assured reliance on the character, ability and strength of someone or some thing. For the Christian, that trust is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ, first for salvation and the restoration of our fellowship with God which sin marred and took away. But in addition to trust for salvation, saving of the soul for eternity, the one with this well-placed trust knows assuredly the Lord also provides guidance and stability for life itself. Trust produces a relationship that does not have to question the reliability of the one trusted. The writer of Proverbs confidently lauded that well-placed trust. The Lord who has captured the believer’s heart will at all times direct the paths of the trusting one.
In addition to the above familiar verses (which, if you have not already, please memorize), the author of Proverbs 3 gave other directives that benefit the one trusting. The believer seeks always to keep the commandments of the Lord (v. 1). Mercy and truth should be as much with the believers as if bound about his neck as an amulet, ever-present with the person (v. 3). Fear or awe and reverence for the lord become a way of life, signs of a healthy, productive lifestyle (vv. 7-8). Correction from the Lord should be expected, even as a loving father disciplines his children (v. 12). A major benefit of trusting the Lord is happiness (vv. 13, 16). Freedom from fear follows those who trust in the Lord (vv. 24-26).
As one who has lived beyond the “three-score and ten years” promised in Psalm 90:10, I can attest to the joy and fullness of a well-place trust in the Lord. Although I have not always lived up to this trust in the Lord, as expressed in Proverbs 3:5-6, the truths of these verses have been a strong anchor in my life, drawing me back to God and forgiveness when I tended to go astray. The strong urging of “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding,” had a definite pull on my decisions. Prayer and supplication, seeking a clear answer to challenges, has drawn me back time and again to seeking the Lord’s answers. Assurance and confidence lie in acknowledging the Lord and asking Him to direct my paths. He has rewarded and keeps on rewarding my trust with His answers. Selah! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.22.2016
The wise pastor who taught me about the value of life verses and what they mean in a Christian’s life, the Rev. Claude C. Boynton, has long gone from this earthly scene. But his influence lives on in the way I conduct my life now, how I depend on the well-placed trust he taught me in the Lord. I thank him for his teaching and example.
Webster defines “trust” as assured reliance on the character, ability and strength of someone or some thing. For the Christian, that trust is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ, first for salvation and the restoration of our fellowship with God which sin marred and took away. But in addition to trust for salvation, saving of the soul for eternity, the one with this well-placed trust knows assuredly the Lord also provides guidance and stability for life itself. Trust produces a relationship that does not have to question the reliability of the one trusted. The writer of Proverbs confidently lauded that well-placed trust. The Lord who has captured the believer’s heart will at all times direct the paths of the trusting one.
In addition to the above familiar verses (which, if you have not already, please memorize), the author of Proverbs 3 gave other directives that benefit the one trusting. The believer seeks always to keep the commandments of the Lord (v. 1). Mercy and truth should be as much with the believers as if bound about his neck as an amulet, ever-present with the person (v. 3). Fear or awe and reverence for the lord become a way of life, signs of a healthy, productive lifestyle (vv. 7-8). Correction from the Lord should be expected, even as a loving father disciplines his children (v. 12). A major benefit of trusting the Lord is happiness (vv. 13, 16). Freedom from fear follows those who trust in the Lord (vv. 24-26).
As one who has lived beyond the “three-score and ten years” promised in Psalm 90:10, I can attest to the joy and fullness of a well-place trust in the Lord. Although I have not always lived up to this trust in the Lord, as expressed in Proverbs 3:5-6, the truths of these verses have been a strong anchor in my life, drawing me back to God and forgiveness when I tended to go astray. The strong urging of “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding,” had a definite pull on my decisions. Prayer and supplication, seeking a clear answer to challenges, has drawn me back time and again to seeking the Lord’s answers. Assurance and confidence lie in acknowledging the Lord and asking Him to direct my paths. He has rewarded and keeps on rewarding my trust with His answers. Selah! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.22.2016
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