NEWS & THOUGHTS ARCHIVE

There’s Nowhere Else to Turn 

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For the past two days, I have left walking in the subdivision and went to a public walking track that follows a creek that runs through Kingsport. After grazing in the Word in the morning, I retire to the walking track to meditate on what I have taken in. It is a time that I allow the Living Word to speak to me. Three days ago while walking a passage of scripture made its way into my heart. “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. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7 When it first happened, I thought the Lord was giving me something for a daily devotional that I write for. The next day, I was back on the walking track and the same scripture was alive within my heart. This time it was as if the Lord was saying, “While it may be shared with others, this is for you!” When writing to young Timothy, Paul gave some very pertinent truth, “The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits” (II Timothy 2:6). There the truth of partaking, “be . . . partaker of the fruits.” The word “partaker” means to participate, eat, receive or take. The husbandman does not raise a crop just to feed and nourish others, but he is to receive strength and nourishment from that which he raises. It is imperative that we remember that those that prepare to feed others must also partake of that which they prepare! There is the timing of partaking, “must be first.” The word “first” means firstly in time, place, order, importance, at the beginning. The husbandman is not left with the crumbs or leftovers, but is to be the first to partake. Is this not a precious truth that needs to be remembered by all that desire to share God’s Word with others? If I am to effectively pass truth on to others, I must be the first to ingest that truth and yield to its nourishing powers. Then and only then is it ready to be passed on to others.  

Meditating upon Proverbs 3:5-7, I was challenged to compare my life to “Truth” that was before me as well as being comforted by its promises. It is such a blessing to have the Lord to speak to you out of His Word. While “Truth” must be proclaimed, it must first be personal. 

(I) My Confidence – vs.5

The first thing that caught my attention was the nature of the natural man, “lean . . . unto thine own understanding.” There are two words that give profound insight into this nature; “lean” and “understanding.” The natural tendency of man is to support and rest in our own understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. The natural response of man is to place confidence in what we can see, taste, touch, smell, and feel! While we would like to think that it is only the sinner that places confidence in the temporal and perishable elements of this world; how many times have we sought comfort in houses and lands? I find it so easy to allow the mood of the moment and the appearance of temporal substance to lull me into a false state of confidence. 

As I walked along the creek, it was as if the Lord was calling to my heart, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart.” God delights in knowing that His children have placed confidence in Him and only Him. The admonition of the Lord is far bigger than it first appears. Look at the words “trust” and “heart.” The first word means to hurry for refuge, to trust, to be confident or sure, and to have a bold confidence. God does not want us to add or factor Him into the equation for confidence. He wants to be the sum total of our confidence. “Heart” means one’s feelings, the will as well as the intellect, the very center of everything. God does not want to be limited to one or two specific areas of our lives; He is our life! He not only wants us to place our total confidence in Him, but He wants us to understand that there is nowhere else that true confidence can be placed. Where have we decided to place our confidence? 

(II) My Course – vs.6

Again we are confronted with the natural response of man. While it is not specifically stated, we immediately know what it is because it is the opposite of the admonition! Our natural response is to go our own way! All of us would agree that it is wrong to follow the paths of sin or the ways of the world. But, I have discovered that while a course may be right and religious, it may not be God’s will for me; thus making it a sin for me! It is not partial, but total control that God wants; “In all thy ways.” This has reference to our entire life: religious, recreational, home, work, social, secular, or any other aspect of life that comes to mind. The word “acknowledge” means to know or ascertain by seeing or observing. For all those that will look to Him for their course, the promise is, “and he shall direct thy paths.” The word “direct” has not only reference to guidance but guarantee! The guidance will be in a way that is straight and even. The guarantee is that the road of life will be pleasant and prosperous.  

(III) My Conception – vs.7

Once again we are met with the response of the natural man, “wise in thine own eyes.” It requires no training or encouragement to become puffed up with pride. “Wise” means wise, skillful, or intellect. “Eyes” means eye, analogy, or affections. When the natural man begins to eye or make an analogy of self, in most cases, he elevates himself in skill and intellect. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). While John’s emphasis was more toward our position, it also includes our person! When we view ourselves in the light of whom God is; we soon discover how vile and corrupt we are. The word “evil” has reference to being bad. It applies to natural and moral evil. Our nature, as well as our actions is corrupt and bad. This awareness should generate a moral reverence and encourages us to depart from that evil.  

The thing that blessed me so much as I walked and meditated on the Scriptures was that God had not brought them to my heart to scold me, but to comfort me. God was telling me that He was there! Whether I was consciously aware of it or not, He was there and I could take comfort in that. If I really wanted to get the fullness out of life, my confidence must be totally in Him, I must look to Him for the course of life, and I must not allow self to be exalted above the Sovereign. It was to be all Him, for there’s nowhere else to turn! 

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