THE STRAIGHT PATH FORWARD
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."
Roundabout paths are tough. I remember an “opportunity” Heather and I had 13 years ago during our 20th anniversary. We were blessed to be able to leave our kids with my parents in Oahu, Hawaii while Heather and I took a few days in Maui. We decided to take the famous and scenic “Road to Hana” in our rental car.
We looked and saw that it was only 64 miles. How long could it possibly take? The answer is about 3 hours…if you make no stops and drive it straight through. The road turns back and forth with sharp curves. And it’s not for the weak of stomach. We arrived in Hana and then had to decide how to return to our hotel—turn around and drive the same curvy road back or finish travelling around the island on what looked to be a shorter, straightforward roadway back. We definitely desired a straighter path than the one we had just finished driving.
The Hebrew word for “straight” in Proverbs 3:6 has an idea of a smooth way…a straight way. It is used metaphorically in Psalm 119:128 to indicate “esteeming right” all of God’s precepts. It’s a way that is desirable! How is it that we get this “straight” way?
There are two positive commands and a prohibition. The first command is to trust God. Trust Him completely. Trust Him with everything in your heart. This first command involves the prohibition also – to not depend on your own understanding. Sometimes we think we can’t get around our feelings of inadequacy or lack of worth. This is where counselors will tell you NOT to trust your feelings! God makes you adequate. God thought you were “worth” sending His Son to pay a redemption price for you. To trust the Lord and not rely on your own understanding means that sometimes you’ll have to choose to believe God’s word despite how you feel. You need to believe what God says about who you are in Christ – that you are loved dearly, that you are safe and secure, and that He sees you. Trust Him, and trust His way. Seeming “shortcuts” to feeling worth often try to numb pain or distract us from life’s situations. These are different from God’s best. They are not a smooth path, but are a path which will take much longer and create much more pain due to the “switchbacks.”
The second command is to “acknowledge” Him in all of your ways. The Hebrew word here (yādaʿ) is the word “to know”, and I think this better captures the essence of the verse. It’s not a “tip of the hat” to acknowledge that God is there in every situation. It’s a quest to know God as He interacts with you through the circumstances He allows you to navigate with Him. What can you learn about God and who He is by what He has you going through?
Jeremiah 9:23-24 states “Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows [yādaʿ] Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”
As we move into 2025 together, let’s seek to know God in all of our ways. Let’s pursue Him and trust Him as we wait for His glorious appearing.
Roundabout paths are tough. I remember an “opportunity” Heather and I had 13 years ago during our 20th anniversary. We were blessed to be able to leave our kids with my parents in Oahu, Hawaii while Heather and I took a few days in Maui. We decided to take the famous and scenic “Road to Hana” in our rental car.
We looked and saw that it was only 64 miles. How long could it possibly take? The answer is about 3 hours…if you make no stops and drive it straight through. The road turns back and forth with sharp curves. And it’s not for the weak of stomach. We arrived in Hana and then had to decide how to return to our hotel—turn around and drive the same curvy road back or finish travelling around the island on what looked to be a shorter, straightforward roadway back. We definitely desired a straighter path than the one we had just finished driving.
The Hebrew word for “straight” in Proverbs 3:6 has an idea of a smooth way…a straight way. It is used metaphorically in Psalm 119:128 to indicate “esteeming right” all of God’s precepts. It’s a way that is desirable! How is it that we get this “straight” way?
There are two positive commands and a prohibition. The first command is to trust God. Trust Him completely. Trust Him with everything in your heart. This first command involves the prohibition also – to not depend on your own understanding. Sometimes we think we can’t get around our feelings of inadequacy or lack of worth. This is where counselors will tell you NOT to trust your feelings! God makes you adequate. God thought you were “worth” sending His Son to pay a redemption price for you. To trust the Lord and not rely on your own understanding means that sometimes you’ll have to choose to believe God’s word despite how you feel. You need to believe what God says about who you are in Christ – that you are loved dearly, that you are safe and secure, and that He sees you. Trust Him, and trust His way. Seeming “shortcuts” to feeling worth often try to numb pain or distract us from life’s situations. These are different from God’s best. They are not a smooth path, but are a path which will take much longer and create much more pain due to the “switchbacks.”
The second command is to “acknowledge” Him in all of your ways. The Hebrew word here (yādaʿ) is the word “to know”, and I think this better captures the essence of the verse. It’s not a “tip of the hat” to acknowledge that God is there in every situation. It’s a quest to know God as He interacts with you through the circumstances He allows you to navigate with Him. What can you learn about God and who He is by what He has you going through?
Jeremiah 9:23-24 states “Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows [yādaʿ] Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”
As we move into 2025 together, let’s seek to know God in all of our ways. Let’s pursue Him and trust Him as we wait for His glorious appearing.
by Mike Hogue, Senior Pastor
Posted in Faith Blogs
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