Trust and Obey - May 5

Read Proverbs 3:1-7

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; writing them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 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 straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Reflect

As you progress on your journey of faith, what wise advice does this proverb provide?

Many people mistakenly believe that once they put their faith in Christ, it’ll be smooth sailing from then on. They figure that they have received their ticket to heaven and their sins are forgiven so now they just need to keep on keeping on until the day they die. They don’t really consider how their faith in Christ can and should affect their everyday lives. But today’s proverb describes a walk of faith much more intentional and transformational than that.

In this proverb, King Soloman advised his son to remember his wise instruction and urged him to faithfully follow his commandments. He also exhorted his son to trust in the Lord and submit to His wisdom rather than relying on his own. In two words, Solomon was counseling his son to trust and obey.

You probably know the old Sunday school song: “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.” Happy in Jesus really means being blessed in Him. Solomon agreed that obeying God’s commandments typically leads to blessing. In verse 2, Solomon said that obeying the commandments adds length of days, years and peace to your life. In verse 4, Solomon taught that steadfast love and faithfulness leads to favor with God and man. In verse 6, he wrote that God will make your paths straight when you acknowledge Him.

Now, it’s important to remember that proverbs are general principles for wise and godly living. They are not direct promises from God. We all know that bad things happen to godly people all the time. Suffering in this life still exists. But living life God’s way gives us freedom from suffering the self-induced consequences of our sin.

Obeying God has benefits just as obedience to parents has benefits. As we grow up, we generally had two choices: listen to our parents, or learn the hard way. When we followed our parents’ teaching, our relationships with our siblings would typically be better, our friendships could be better, even our health, our grades, or our chances at success in life were more likely of being better. Obeying our parents didn’t needlessly put ourselves into high risk situations leaving us mentally, emotionally, and physically safer.

Following the Lord is a lot like the parent/child relationship. He is our heavenly Father and we are His children. We should trust and obey Him because we know that He loves us and wants what’s best for us. It would be so arrogant and completely foolish of us to live as if we know better than God, the Creator of the Universe. Plus, living our lives God’s way frees us from the needless suffering that results from our own stupid choices and willfully sinful decisions. As we walk along this journey of faith, may we lean not on our own understanding but trust and obey the Lord.

Respond

Lord, thank You for the wise instruction found in Scripture. I want to trust and obey You. Help me to guard my way and keep it pure according to Your Word for “with my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” (Psalm 119:9-10). Amen.

Reveal

Offer another believer some encouragement today to keep trusting and obeying the Lord.