Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
“In all your ways acknowledge Him…”
When I was reading through this well-known passage the other day, that six-word phrase struck in a way that it never had before. Think about it: “In all your ways acknowledge him…” Do I really do this? In all my ways?
Imagine what the day would look like if we did:
When you wake up – acknowledge Him.
When you get out of bed – acknowledge Him.
When you open your Bible – acknowledge Him.
When you get ready to go to work – acknowledge Him.
When you eat your breakfast—the first meal of the day—which God Himself provided – acknowledge Him.
When you step outside and take in the first breath of fresh air – acknowledge Him.
When you sit down at your desk (or wherever it is that you work from) – acknowledge Him.
Whether He goes acknowledged or not, we are still dependent on God.
Even with these common graces of life, we are utterly dependent on God. Every moment we live and every step we take is given under divine warrant and direction.That is why we are to trust the Lord with our entire heart and being. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” The man who leans on his own understanding of the world around him is a fool. And, as the verse implies, when we trust God, we also inevitably acknowledge Him—our Great Maker, Redeemer, Sustainer.
To think that we can go a moment of life without His grace and counsel is pure pride. God is Lord, and He is also Father. He loves to be consulted! He loves it when His children lean on Him for understanding and acknowledge Him in every way.
As fellow heirs of Christ, we can speak to almighty God and know that He listens. We acknowledge Him and know that He is pleased. This should blow your mind.
The transliteration of the Hebrew verb for acknowledge is “yada’.” It means “to know, to perceive, to distinguish, to recognize, to confess, to be acquainted with, to be wise about.”
Instead of vainly leaning on our own understanding, let’s resolve to first go to Him for counsel in life. Let’s be in the habit of acknowledging God in all our ways.
May God grant us grace in our Lord Jesus Christ to do so effectively.
And now, as you move on from this blog post – acknowledge Him.
Chris is a Christian, husband to Alyssa, works as Executive Director of The Gospel for OC and Writer and Editor at Blue Letter Bible. Chris and his wife Alyssa worship and serve at Reverence Bible Church in Mission Viejo, California. He is the author of The Two Fears: Tremble Before God Alone.
