Happy Birthday, Baby New Year! And what does a wee-Bern need to survive and reach his potential in this madness we call the American Dream? Trust...
We embrace the New Year, hoping for the New Wine that comes only from our God. Sometimes the new is introduced by looking at something old. "This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jer. 6:16. "Rest for your souls" sounds a lot like the peace we ended 2018 with in our study. Very interesting. Once again, this verse indicates the need for our peace and rest. It also shares experience in human culture and its evolution over time. There's always a giant push and desire for something new, and there is a time for that, especially in certain abusive situations, but sometimes the hunger for new can be devastating as well, considering our situations we are called to persevere through and thrive in. Too many times we quit too early and leave things before the story has a chance to be written.
Out with the old year and in with the new. Instead of innovating a new drive for new things, I'm taken straight back to my favorite verses of old in scripture. "Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." Prov. 3:5-6. I've constantly gone back to these verses as a part of my solidarity and foundation for faith. You'd think I'd be more competent in actually doing what He says in them, but just because they are my favorites doesn't mean I'm any better at fulfilling them than the next person!
An effective method of teaching and receiving instruction is to look at the opposites of the words involved within the material. The very first word in this passage is "Trust". It's an imperative, directive command, not a suggestive option. It's an action verb that comes from an authoritative source. It's opposites are distrust, treat with suspicion, fear, fret, worry, not believe, and lacking faith. There's an object to our trust and His name is Jesus-our Lord. It's not ourselves or someone else or the world or our bank account or even Satan. The assumption behind this command is that God is truly good. It's acknowledgment that His character is pure and that He is the highest authority in existence. It's an awareness that He is in control of all things and a belief that He has a good plan for our lives. He summons all of our heart, not a piece or some of it. Heart refers to our inner being-that spirit and soul that lives eternally after our bodies have given it up. Our understanding is very limited. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are higher than ours. There are things we simply can't know or understand; thus the need for faith, which is believing in what's unseen. We are to submit, commit, give, consecrate, and acknowledge Him in every one of our situations and ways, not just one or two or a few or some. They are to be surrendered to Him alone, not anyone else. The result of these actions of our obedience is God Himself directing our paths and making them clear, fulfilling, satisfying, purpose-driven, complete, worthwhile, etc. Our paths, under His direction, bring Him glory and point others to Him.
I am also taken back to an old passage I dwelt intensely on for much of last year in Jeremiah 17: 5-8. "This is what the Lord says: 'Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.'" Without diving too deeply into this passage, I just wanted to be reminded that we still have a choice in who to trust. There are consequences involved in that choice. Otherwise, it's pretty self-explanatory within the text.
This trusting of God will involve our submission of all things. "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24. I realize the reference is to Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, but our God also implanted this into the design of His creation. In agriculture, this describes the natural germination of a seed and it's growth into a plant. And He expects fruit from that plant. When He walks by, will He find fruit in our lives? Or will He be left hungry as in the story of the fig tree? And we know what happened to that particular tree. Not good. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow." 1Cor. 3:6. He makes the fruit, not us. He alone deserves the credit. What in our lives needs to die, that He might bring new, resurrected life to it? Commit everything to Him. Yes, I know times are hard. Don't give up, but give it up. Lay them at His feet. Consecrate them. Let them be set apart as Holy unto the Lord. Let Him bring the fruit in His perfect timing.
It's all quite brilliant, when looked at through those lenses. I pray we can truly be "doers" of these words. Keep in mind, this task is virtually impossible on our own strength. He has designed this calling to only be accomplished by the supernatural power of His Holy Spirit's leading. He is the 'somehow' that makes the impossible- possible. Please, join me and also encourage me to fully trust our Lord this year.
