Friday, August 2, 2013

By: Gwen Hitt

Lean on Him

Proverbs 3:5-7  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

When my grandchildren are absolutely exhausted, they come to me to hold them. Once I pick them up, they usually drift right off to sleep. They do not concern themselves with their well-being because they have total TRUST in me. They know that I will care for them - they know that my arms are a safe refuge for them.

In order to trust me so wholeheartedly, my grandchildren needed to grasp that I am:

- Someone they could call out to by name and be acknowledged in a loving manner.

- Someone they could depend upon to meet their basic needs.

- Someone they could count on to be there for them in all circumstances.

I believe that the development of complete trust in God follows a similar process. We need to really get to know Him in order to trust Him. Thankfully, the Bible gives us much information that can help us to establish the type of trusting relationship with Him that will lead to His promise of making our paths straight.

Romans 8:15 gives us permission to refer to God as "Abba! Father!"

1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to call out to Him and to expect a loving response - "Cast ALL your cares on Him because He cares for you."

Hebrew 13:5 assures us that God is ever-present in our lives - "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

It is amazing to consider that the Creator of the Universe is so concerned about you...about me. We may wonder at times if He really does know every single human inhabitant - After all, there are billions. However, He tells us in Jeremiah 1:5 that He not only knows us.....BUT He knew us before we were even born - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."

My challenge to you when you are faced with a heavy load is to realize that God knows your name, that He wants to provide what you need, and that He will never abandon you. TRUST Him with all of your heart....AND He will make your path straight!

Dear Lord, On my journey through life, I have encountered many heavy loads. At times, I have tried to carry these loads on my own and have failed. Help me to always put my trust in You in these situations. I know that You desire for me to lean on You!

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.

 potential for conflict. However, when you truly love someone, the "good" memories in life should surpass all others.