Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in 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." Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
As a 4th grader in Vacation Bible School at Shell Creek Lutheran Church we played the trust game. You’ve probably played it too, where you stand with your arms crossed over your chest and fall back into the arms of your friends. I remember being cautious, as I knew a couple of them would think it would be hilarious to see me fall. But I also saw my two close friends and felt I could trust them. When it was my turn to be on the catching side I kept saying, “Trust me, you can trust me.” That memory came back to me when I read these verses. What was it about that moment in time that made it so memorable?
It was because of the discussion our VBS leader, Mrs. Johnson, led after the trust game. She had us find this text in the Bible and we were told to memorize it by the end of the day. She explained that this verse would mean more to us the older we became. Mrs. Johnson shared stories of bad things that happened to her and to her family and how she had to lean on these verses. She also told us that we would have many times in our lives that we would not want to submit to the Lord, that we would be convinced that we knew what was best or may desire something so much that we would choose our own path, no matter how crooked it may be.
For years after that VBS experience every time I saw Mrs. Johnson, with gratitude I would share a current life event when I needed to lift up this verse. Fast forward to decades later, Scott and I taught Southwood Sunday School for a number of different classes over the years. Whenever we had the 4th graders, we shared these verses and did the trust exercise, always hoping it would impact their lives, too.
After Scott’s memorial service I cherished each message in the stacks of cards. But there is one I will always remember. Handwritten it said, "Trust in 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," followed by a signature and a happy face. I smiled knowing that this young man, once a 4th grader in our Sunday School class, is letting our Lord make his path straight. Thanks be to God!
Questions for Reflection:
- When have you had to trust with all your heart?
- Do you find it hard to “let go and let God?”
Prayer:
God, In your divine wisdom and with your caring heart, you make our paths straight. Help us to trust your infinite wisdom. Guide our hearts and our minds with a willingness to travel down the path you have laid before us. Amen
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