“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight.{Direct your paths}.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.“-{Proverbs 3;5-7 NIV}
There are many paths we can take in life, choices from the moment we awake in the morning, to throughout our life. Some big, others may seem not to be. But one danger is compromise. For compromise corrodes and affects us as we live daily. Here in Proverbs the writer tells us the safest wisest choice is to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” It is a positive command! “To trust,” is the picture of laying prostrate on the ground before a Master, helpless and dependent upon him.
“TRUST”–{“Batakh”} is, properly, “to cling to,” and so passes to the meaning of “to confide in,” “to set one’s hope and confidence upon.” -{Pulpit commentary}. “Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”-{Prov 37:5}
We realize our own insufficiency and renounce “leaning to our own understanding,” which is also a command. “LEAN,” the word signifies “to lean, rest upon.” We are forbidden from doing this,s trusting in self but instead we are commanded to choose to lean on Him as our help, support, safety our all in all! And we can do this by acknowledging Him in all we do, knowing, considering and submitting all to Him, our lives, plans, all in submission to Him who is Sovereign King, Owner of all, intimately involved, holy, good, wise and who loves us! Acknowledging Him by thinking on Him, His word, talking to Him, and submitting, following His revealed will in His Word
And to “Trust” Him is to “fear” Him. Not a fear of Him hurting or being cruel to us but a fear of holding Him in high regard and respect, desiring His honor and not wanting to do anything that would hurt… HIM! To lovingly show respect for Him and His WORD. Remember when David was confronted over his sin what was asked of him was “Why have you despised the Word of the LORD?” His disdain, light attitude for God’s Word is what was the ‘root’ of His sin, indeed it goes on to say, “Why have you despised the LORD?” To have a light attitude, disdain His Word is to disdain Him! The “fruit” of his sin, adultery and having Bathsheba’s husband killed was a result of the “root” of the problem “despising… the WORD of the LORD… the LORD.” To cultivate “The Fear of the LORD,” is to hold His WORD In High esteem, and submit to it, as it reveals Him to us! And as we do we can know He will direct our paths…
“Direct…Make straight…Plain”
“And He shall direct thy paths (v’hu y’yashsher or’khotheyka); i.e. He Himself shall make them straight, or level, removing all obstacles out of the way; or they shall, under God’s direction, prosper and come to a successful issue; they shall be virtuous, inasmuch as deviation into vice will be guarded against, and happy, because they are prosperous.
The pronoun v’hu is emphatic, “He Himself;” Vulgate, et ipse. Yashar, piel. is “to make a way straight,” as in Proverbs 9:15; Proverbs 15:21; Proverbs 11:5. Cf. the LXX. ὀρθοτομεῖν, “to cut straight” (see on Proverbs 11:5). “The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. “-{Prov 11:5}
God here binds Himself by a covenant (Lapide). This power is properly attributed to God, for “it is not in man to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). “- {Pulpet commentary }
Wow! What an undertaking by God. What hope and encouragement and fuel for your faith and worship to Him in light of what He commits Himself to do!
Trust that He will undertake to guide you. He will direct, make your paths plain. Be Confident He will undertake for you. Jehoshaphat when facing the potential onslaught said, “We don’t know what to do… but our eyes are on You, LORD.” {2 Chron 2o}. And to look to Him to direct our paths in a way that is right, honoring Him and wise, He does so, and some means are as follows;
1.He Himself will PERSONALLY be involved in undertaking for you.
Clearing the obstacles so your path is directed by Him!
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He directs our path through His WORD;
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”-{Psalm 119:105}; The Word of God shows you the will of God!
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He directs our path through believing PRAYER;
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”-{James 1:5}.
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He directs our path through “PROVIDENCE“;
to have the foresight to make provision beforehand,through orchestrating circumstances and people to bring about the end He desires. God always guides and provides! “…See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. “-{Rev 3:8};
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He directs our path through wise, GODLY ADVICE;
“For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,And in a multitude of counselors there is safety. “-{Prov 24:6}
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He directs by using other PEOPLE to help, even non believers…
as in Nehemiah’s case in chapter 2 where the king gave him what was needed for his trip. Also believers as in the case of the Philippian believers, who sacrificially supported Paul by sending a man to help him and also a gift for his needs. God will provide “ALL of your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ.”-{Philippians 4:19}
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He will direct your paths. He will make your path straight, plain, right!
He will personally undertake and see to it, that all you need will be provided. This is either true or not! To those who trust Him wholeheartedly He WILL DIRECT THEIR PATH!
“Direct thy paths; assist and bless all thine endeavors, and keep thee from the paths of sin and destruction.”-{Matthew Poole}
“Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, But a man of understanding walks straight. “- {Prov 15:21}
” The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. “-{Prov 11:5}
Those who are walking in the straight path are not excluded from Temptation.” She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city, calling to those who pass by, who make their paths straight. “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks judgment she says:…”- {Prov 9;14-16}.
To trust Him with all of our heart includes to “Fear Him.” -{v7}
It includes the “fear The LORD,” not in some cowardice way like a dog that has been cruelly treated by its wicked owner cowers in a corner when the owner comes in its presence, but a reverential, loving respectful attitude that influences our choices and living. One way it is manifested is as verse 7 says “turn from evil,”Such is the effect of trusting the LORD it is manifested in Fearing the LORD and turning from evil! To “fear the LORD” having a healthy respect, honoring Him above all else as seen in living to love and obey Him. It is the beginning of wisdom.
To cultivate, develop “The Fear of The LORD,” we must acquaint ourselves with Him in His Word, praying the Spirit of Truth will enlighten our understanding and this HE will do!-{Read John 16:13; 1 John 5;15-16}… It is to increasingly come to know Him, His character, His promises, ways and will as revealed in His Word, and to submit to Him which is the evidence of trusting Him! We must be as Ezra, become people of the Word seeking to know HIM.-{Read Ezra 7;10}.
The benefits of “Fearing The LORD?”
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”-{Prov 9:10}.
He is the fountain of true wisdom! All other types of knowledge are useless unless based on the knowledge of God to live life.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. “- {Prov 1:7}
“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.” –{Prov 14;27}.
Trust Him
Know Him
Submit to Him
Reject leaning to your own understanding…You were never meant to or capable of Honoring God through trusting selfand not Him and His revealed will in His Word!
“GOD WILL DIRECT OUR PATHS!” He may guide us through a verse, a passage or hearing a message preached. He may guide us through the Godly advice of another believer. He may do something circumstantially that is so clear to us in supplying what is needed. He may affirm through His peace in the matter. He Himself will undertake for us and as we follow in loving respect,”…He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”-{Psalm 23;3}.
Be assured, He will direct your paths, you can trust, count on Him to do so!