Thursday, August 23, 2018

“Along Particular Pathways”


"Along Particular Pathways"


    When the general becomes the specific, the potential for believers to faithfully walk with our Lord becomes realized and actual.

     "Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

    Responding to Solomon's command may begin by our general acknowledgement of the Lord in "all."  However, we do well to specifically consider the matters of life in accordance with "trust… lean not… acknowledge."  This presents both great blessing and challenge, along with much opportunity for prayerful consideration and communication with God.  Consider individual relationships.  We do well to think of each person in our lives according to "trust… lean not… acknowledge."  Those with whom we share our existence do not cross our paths by accident, but rather by our Lord's purposes.  Do we think of each individual accordingly?  Acknowledging the Lord in specific terms requires that we do.

    We apply this to everything in our lives, again, a calling that offers both great promise and great responsibility.  Prayer, the Scriptures, fellowship with other believers, career, finances, hobbies, entertainment, bodily issues, possessions - all and more call us to "trust… lean not… acknowledge."  As we frequently suggest in these messages, believers do not have to be brilliant in order to walk faithfully with our Lord.  But we do have to think.  We must thoughtfully respond to God's presence and working in our lives.  Applied faith leads to actualized faithfulness.  Indeed, as we respond to the Lord and His Truth along particular pathways, we become far more likely to trust and obey Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.  This offers the blessing of knowing God in the personal terms for which He redeemed us, and the practical outworking of His involved presence.  He numbers the very hairs of our head (Matthew 10:30).  Our Lord is obviously very specific in His involvement with us.  We do well to respond in kind, pointedly trusting, leaning not, and acknowledging Him along each pathway of life.  

"Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:6-7)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Wait on the Lord.  Be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart.  Wait, I say, on the Lord."
(Psalm 27:14)

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