Security

        People just like to feel secure about things. I have had a number of cars in my lifetime and I think I can tell a lot about a car when you close the car door. I had one car recently that when you closed the door it sounded firm, no echo and solid. On the other hand, right next to it was another car, same make, but a different model. When you closed the door, it sort of reminded you of a tin can and had a slight ring to it. Personally speaking, I preferred the one that was solid but also the gas mileage was terrible. The other one gets good's gas mileage but I don't feel that secure in it should something happen and it went bouncing off the road. I guess that's why they made the Hummer available to people other than military as it was like driving a tank on the highway and people liked it even though the gas mileage was around 8 miles per gallon. For the most part, we like to feel secure, not only in our vehicles, but in every aspect of life. We like to have secure footing when we walk, stable paths in our wanderings and boats with no holes in the bottom. The same is true in our spiritual lives. 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.”

      Our “paths” are those journeys in our lives from one day to the next and from one year to the next and so on. We know by experience that our lives are basically short and so the security of our eternal destination should be of great importance to us. Not only, however, are we concerned about our eternal destination, but also the daily experiences that sometimes shake our foundations. The passage for today is one that is famous. It is on plaques in the book stores and underlined in Bibles because it shows us the folly of trusting our own instincts rather than the leading of God Himself. Leaning on our own understanding in things is like the sound of the car door that rings like a tin can. On the other hand, the solid direction of the Lord is what we want. The verses then become applicable to us each and every day. Sickness, death, accidents and natural calamities along with the foolishness of men on the earth today, all remind us of instability and the failure that is always present when we trust our own understanding rather than the leading of God. God does get particular on this passage and reminds us that it not in the big things of life that we need to trust Him but in every area and not only the crisis situations. I admit that I don't ask God each day which color to wear, be it either black or brown. That are the only two combinations that I have to be concerned about. God never really mentions which color is best to wear, but He does mention what we are to be doing regardless of what we are wearing. By trusting in God, we discover that He will guide our path through today and tomorrow and the days to come. If you want to feel secure in your choices for today and tomorrow, then take the advice of the passage above. “Trust in the LORD with ALL thine heart...” Praise God today for His leading in every area of our lives.