TRUST IN THE LORD 

            "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). We had to trust the Lord in receiving His salvation. The phrase 'trust in the Lord' is synonymous with 'believing on the Lord', or 'placing faith in the Lord'. However, trusting the Lord after we are saved should be a continual action on our part as we live daily in His presence. We can trust Him with all our hearts because He is so worthy of us having full confidence in Him. We can have that confidence when we think of all He has done in the past and knowing that His promises for the future are just as sure. Always remember the question the Lord asked Abraham, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14).

Trusting the Lord means we are to depend on what He has promised in His Word rather than trying to lean on what we try to understand with our finite minds. The Lord spoke through Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (55:8, 9). It can be so easy for us to depend on our own abilities, or in earthly things around us. But, it is very foolish to do so when the Lord is always nearby waiting for us to only trust in Him. The faithfulness of God to His promises was acknowledged by Solomon in his dedication of the Temple. "Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant" (1 Kings 8:56). This was not only the wisdom of Solomon speaking but the inspired Word of God. In the beginning of the Exodus journey, Moses did not know how the Lord was going to accomplish all He promised, but He surely did!

            Sometimes, we are prone to depend on our own intelligence, power, or possessions rather than just trusting in the Lord. The Lord spoke some beautiful words through Jeremiah to keep us from being guilty of this. "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD" (9:23, 24). We must understand and know Him to receive His lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness. A wonderful reason to trust in the Lord!

            In the battles we must fight in life, we too often trust in things that we can see rather than trusting in the Lord. The Psalmist wrote, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" (20:7). David told Goliath, "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:47). As King Jehoshaphat faced the army of a terrible enemy, the Lord gave him this assurance, "Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15). Remember you are never alone in the battles you must fight in this life!

            The text we are studying instructs us to trust in the Lord. To be faithful to this command we must "in all our ways acknowledge Him." In all the service you do for Him, remember that you must depend on His Holy Spirit to enable you to serve in His power. In all the decisions you must make, seek Him to direct your paths. "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14). Always give Him the glory for all you do! "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).