To Do or Not To Do? That is the Question!

I could always tell when my father meant something as a command or as an option to do something. It wasn't too hard to figure it out. I didn't have to ask him, "Is this something I have to do or can I not do it at all if I don't want to?" It was always pretty clear to me. It was also just as clear in the military. When a command was issued you knew right away what it was and you knew without a doubt that you were to obey or suffer the consequences. There are also many instances in the Scriptures where God speaks to us in a "command" type of language. In other words, what He is saying is not an option to decide to do or not to do. When He speaks a command, it is something that we are to do. There are some easy ones in the form of the Ten Commandments. Through the ages, we have given this group from Exodus 20 the title, "Ten Commandments." This means that we understand that these ten items are not options, nor wishes but that they are commands for us. We also notice that there is not the word "wish" or "hope" associated with them. God didn't say, "I hope you will worship me" or "I wish you would not covet your neighbor's wife." No, they are given in plain command form. Now, here is another group of commands. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "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."
We can see right at the beginning that several commands have been given. We are to trust, lean not and to acknowledge Him. It is pretty straight forward and not too difficult to translate nor to understand. We have been commanded to trust the Lord with all of our heart. That means that we are to trust Him in everything that we do. While this is easy to say it is often something that does not happen. Our natural man has the tendency to want to trust his own devices rather than to trust God for anything. The second is equally true. We will have a tendency to lean to our own understanding rather than to lean towards God. So, as you go through the day, remember that we are to be trusting God and seeking His will in everything that we do and also, at the same time, not just leaning to our own ways. Follow God in all that you do and you won't go wrong. Praise God today that His commands are clear, brief and very easy to understand.