Daily Devotional For Thursday, May 23, 2024

Well, “Trying Thursday” is here an you are over halfway through the week. We will look at the same Scripture we looked at yesterday. It was one I memorized as a child. It is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (ESV). What a fantastic Scripture passage for children, teens and even adults to memorize. 

As we saw yesterday, “trusting the Lord with all our heart” has a beginning and is a choice. And what is that beginning? Not “to lean on your own understanding.” In this passage is a second choice we have to make and that is “to acknowledge Him . . .” “Acknowledge” is the Hebrew Old Testament word [יָדַע, yadah]. This word usually translates as ‘to know.” But this word for “to know” does not mean “to know” as if “to know” who the President is or “to know” what two plus two means. This Hebrew word refers to know personally, intimately and experientially. It is the same Hebrew word that refers “to know” in sexual relations in marriage between a wife and a husband. 

This is the same word that refers to how God’s knowledge is complete in all things. Look at these verses below:

• Genesis 18:18, “. . . seeing (knowing) that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?” (ESV).
• Deuteronomy 34:10, “And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (ESV).
• Isaiah 48:8, “You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel” (ESV).
• Psalm 1:6, "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (ESV).
• Psalm 37:18, “The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever” (ESV).

This is why God wants us to know Him intimately. Rather than us simply leaning on our own human crutches for our own insight, skills, experiences, knowledge, the Scriptures command us to learn the mind of God, His character, His will, His attributes and His purpose and plan for our lives. The Hebrew word translated as “way” in Proverbs 3:5-6 is [דָּרַךְ, derek. It used to refer to a “road” and the “choices” we make and the experiences we encounter as we go through life. Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll adds this little bit of a tidbit for us:

“God encourages us to know His mind in all those decisions and circumstances. What is more, derek can also mean “characteristic manner,” as it does in Proverbs 30:18–19: “God encourages us to know His mind in all those decisions and circumstances. What is more, derek can also mean “characteristic manner,” as it does in Proverbs 30:18–19: “There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, The way of a man with a maid” (NASB). 

One visual image associated with derek is that of an archer’s bow, which has a natural curvature to it. Psalm 7:12 uses the verb form of this root word to picture the Lord as having “bent His bow and made it ready.” Knowing God and doing things His way doesn’t mean we must sacrifice our uniqueness or conform to a specific manner of living: we don’t need to wear these clothes, live like our neighbors, pursue only those hobbies, stay within the lines—far from it! Discover who God made you to be and follow your unique path. Just don’t neglect knowing God” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Living the Proverbs: Insight For the Daily Grind, Kindle Edition,  p. 46).

I hear people say all the time: “PK, I don’t have time to have a quiet time.” Well, I do understand the demands of a full schedule. Yet, the Apostle Paul made choices that so few today even attempt to make. He chose to travel all over the Roman Empire establishing churches. He made the choice to commit himself to ministering to all those churches. He accomplished more from the day he was saved by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus to the day Rome executed him 15 years later. In addition to all of this, he wrote 2/3’s of the New Testament through beatings, shipwrecks and in dark prison cells on papyri. No, he didn’t have a personal computer, or laptop or a tablet. Yet, in all of this, his number one goals was to know Jesus Christ. 

The Apostle Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28:

“Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. (25) Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; (26) on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; (27) in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. (28) And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” (ESV).

Yet, with all of this on the Apostle Paul, his number one goal was knowing Jesus Christ. Look at Philippians 3:8-11:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, (11) that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (ESV).

Proverbs 3:5-6 says if we trust in the Lord first He will make our paths straight even. Meaning — if God makes our paths straight before we took a step, we would have no need to trust Him. 

Questions To Consider

1. How intimate would you say your relationship to God is and why?
2. Do you strive to have a consistent Quiet Time with God each day? If so, what are the main obstacles and challenges that get in the way of you have one?
3. How does having a deep and intimate relationship with God help you understand God’s character, promises, and purpose for your life?
4. How does knowing God help you be less concerned about your problems?
5. Paul’s #1 goal was to know Jesus Christ intimately? Is this your #1 goal? Why or why not? If it is, what is the proof it is?

Scripture To Meditate On: Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I do not want to get to heaven and not know You. I want to know You better than anyone else. I want to know You so deeply that I have no worries, or fears, or anxieties because I know You will meet all my needs no matter what. Please help me to do this. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! — Pastor Kelly