Read
5With all your heart
you must trust the Lord
and not your own judgment.
6Always let him lead you,
and he will clear the road
for you to follow.
Reflect
For much of my younger life you could probably best describe my spiritual walk as crisis management. Prayer was an exercise in checking off all the specific things I needed divine intervention for. But beyond that, if I am really honest, much of my spiritual life was a series of events—church attendance, prayers, doing things for God or things that could be termed religious or spiritual. We live in an event culture that has less and less tolerance for process, one that has instant answers readily available for every question. Our tendency is to allow that to creep into our relationship with God. Our Christian life becomes a series of events in which we stop from time to time and attempt to seek what his “will” is or ask ourselves what Jesus would do. More often than not the lightning bolt doesn’t strike and we are left confused or rationalizing with the excuse that sometimes God says “no” or sometimes he chooses to remain silent.
So my first reaction to a cursory reading of verses 5 and 6 was to think of specific examples of when I should trust him and not simply do my own thing. But I really don’t think these verses are leading us into a practiced response to life’s events.
Instead, the author is speaking to us about a way of life. Rather than being a series of events in which we live under detailed laws covering each circumstance of life, Jesus introduces us to a relationship with the living God that encourages us to move beyond our limited judgment into trust in him. Then we can follow his way on a road constantly being cleared through the jungle of everyday life.
Respond
Father, I confess that too often our conversations are simply about what I need. I pray that you will constantly draw me into relationship with Christ. Help me daily to allow my heart to lean into Him allowing trust to swell until I am willing to follow rather than lead.
Laurie Cook
Laurie has had a successful career in retail management and consulting. He has served on the Board of World Relief Canada and later became President. He was a founding Chair of the Integral Alliance, an international alliance of Christian Relief and Development agencies and has served on the Board of Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Laurie is an avid cyclist and is married with three adult boys.