Rely on God

KEY VERSE: “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.” —Proverbs 3:5,6

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 3:1-20

IN CHOOSING WISDOM as a gift from God, we are not to look for worldly wisdom, or our own capability in performing a given task. Instead we should accept his Word to direct our path and rely on God. We should be constantly aware that God stands ready to help us, if only we ask him. There are many benefits to this course of action which are listed by Solomon in opening this chapter and leading to the Key Verse. He says that by keeping God’s commandments we can lengthen our days with long life and peace. We are instructed, and should bind mercy and truth about our neck and find favor with God.

The trust that we must have in the Lord should not be superficial. It must be with all our heart. When we come to a crossroad in life’s journey, not knowing which way to go, we are encouraged to call upon him and he will direct our paths. Isaiah says, “Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isa. 30:21) The ‘word’ mentioned by Isaiah is the word of both the Old and New Testaments. We are not to think that God will help some who call on him to win a sports activity, to spare us from a severe illness, or to become rich, but his work of the present Gospel Age is the work of selecting a people for his name.—Acts 15:14

The wisdom of God includes the chastening and correction he applies when we deviate from the pathway of righteousness. The Apostle Paul quotes Proverbs 3:11,12, in Hebrews 12:5,6, saying: “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” We have experienced the confirmation of this great truth in our Christian life.

To grow as sons of God, we must expect these chastenings for our learning and development, even though this might be painful as we submit to them. But eventually this correction will yield “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” (Heb. 12:11) It is under these conditions that we know we are being dealt with as beloved “sons” of God.—Heb. 12:7,8

If we rely on God and his wisdom we will be blessed beyond our imagination. The Scriptures say, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” (Prov. 3:13) We might paraphrase this to say, ‘Happy is the man to whom God has revealed his wonderful plan of the ages, and who understands the work that God is doing’.

There is no human wisdom that can compare to God’s wisdom. It is this wisdom that planned life upon this earth, and which is a great marvel—more precious than gold, silver, and rubies. (Prov. 3:14,15) What a great joy to all mankind it will be when the earth is restored, sin and evil destroyed, and all nations and people learn to rely on God, “For his mercy endureth for ever.”—Ps. 136:1

Proverbs says we should seek wisdom ‘as for silver’. Every day people seek ‘silver’ as they go to work to earn money for their livelihood. The diligence applied to these routine tasks should now be applied to doing the Lord’s will.

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