Proverbs 3 | My Peace: To trust In The Lord
- My walk in the Lord (Prov. 3:1-10)
- The loving correction of God (Prov. 3:11-18)
- Peace with God and man (Prov. 3:19-35)
- My walk in the Lord (Prov. 3:1-10)
(Prov. 3:1-2)
I can use this first verses as a reminder of the first 2 chapters. When the Bible repeat something several times, then should be important.
Treasure the word of God in my heart. It’s not about knowledge or understanding as we will read later. The Word of God is perfect, and I can see God as He really is. It is the God’s word that I had internalized and made personal. The more I know about Him, the more I will be in love of Him. The moment I seek Him honestly and sincerely, I will find Him.
The Word of God is the biggest revelation to us and is more incredible how the word was revealed to us during history and later made flesh. Jesus became human as the full Revelation of the Word; He is the Word. He is the wisdom and modeled how to live it perfectly. He sent the Holy Spirit to us so we could understand and be used by God. We received power from Him.
John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
When I fall in love of God, all his commandments are in my heart and they are a treasure for me. It is not heavy at all.
What a peace means to me be in His word and live it. Living in peace with the Lord will flood my heart and nothing of this world will disturb my soul. No matter what I am facing or what is ahead of me I have this certainty that God is sovereign, and He has everything in His hands. As human I tend to overthink and be overwhelmed but when I realize that Christ already did everything, I just let everything flow as it is, and I will just pray to follow His will and I will start to worry about nothing. Remember, everything is His and nothing will happen out of His will.
(Prov. 3:3-4)
As a precious necklace adorning my chest, I need to have His commandments; not to show them off, but to myself to keep them as my biggest treasure. Knowing more about God is my real joy and most valuable activity.
A heart made new in Christ, will treasure the Word of God. Will be moved by It and everything will be exciting and interesting. Knowing the attributes of God, knowing His character, His nature, His unchangeable nature will lead us to love Him more and to love Him is to obey Him.
By having God’s word to know Him and know His paths, I will find favor (that means also grace, acceptance, good-will) from God. I will understand that after receiving the salvation in grace by Christ in the cross and by His resurrection, the biggest favor to my life is live in His will. This means that being obedient is a gift to us.
This relationship is so incredible that is difficult to me to explain. Trying to do a logical order I can say:
- God loves us and wants us to know Him. He is initiator.
- I know Him. Therefore, I love Him. Therefore, I repent of my sin.
- I want to be obedient and sanctified (that is God’s will anyways)
We can only be presented as accepted because that is His will and, by His grace, we can now know Him, be obedient and sanctified to be pleasant to Him. No matter what I can feel or think, God is the same and His will will be done.
By having received mercy and grace I can also give them to others now. My whole perspective of relationships changes, and I can examine myself and also examine how I love others.
Following God’s commandments inevitably will make me a better witness in front of men. My heart will love my neighbor and I will be example of grace and mercy to others. I can be the best employee and my boss and co-workers will notice something different in me. The same with my family and my friends. Sometimes they won’t understand and will criticize for being obedient to God, but they will see something different. We can find examples in the Bible as Joseph, Moses, David. They were men after God’s heart, and whatsoever they did please the people; they served the people.
(Prov. 3:5-6)
I will never be wise enough to try to direct my life. My flesh will make me stumble and make me mistake. Depending in God is a full statement of humbleness that He is God, and I am a child. Is acknowledging God as my Lord. I don’t own my life anymore and I can do nothing in my own strength and understanding. My life is His and I know how to live it.
Trusting in the Lord in full surrender should be my natural state. Here is said that I should trust in the Lord with all my heart. Is not saying I need to trust in Him with all my brain, my wisdom, my understanding. Often in my life I won’t understand the reasons or the purpose of something. However, I know God is ordaining everything and everything is perfect In His will.
Or He is Lord of all my life, or He is not my Lord at all. There is no intermediate point. The problem in my life is that in some areas I think better of myself forgetting that I’m nothing. Modern Christianity and society have been told me that I’m enough and I deserve to feel good; they told me that everything is about me when everything is about Him only.
He shall direct your paths. Sometimes I’m afraidto have God directing my paths. Sometimes my heart is not trusting. In those moments I need to be intentional, repent and pray to God change my heart. My surrender should be total. The will of God will be always done and for me to follow it, I should:
- Surrender to Him and trust: My life is His
- Die to myself and prioritize my time in God’s revealed word and prayer. I will be transformed.
- Acknowledge and honor God in all that I do. Because is His will I’m doing = I’m doing nothing.
God never disappoints you. Your plans disappoint you thinking that linking them with God, they will work. Timothy Keller
(Prov. 3:7)
Everything is blurry in my sight. My flesh, the world and the devil will try to color everything nicely, shiny and sweet. However, sin is bitter, dark and will always make me sick to death. “Lucky” for me Jesus died in the cross and my strength is now in Him. Now I can rely on and I should walk with Him. The fear of the Lord as I studied in the last chapters, is the realization of His greatness, power, supremacy, wisdom, perfection, mercy, grace and mightiness. Knowing Him will lead me to be set apart from this world for Him. I want to please and serve Him with all my life. The fear of the Lord become this supreme amazingness for the living God. The Holy, the Saint, the Creator, Savior and Lord. I will be more in love of Him. This is the natural result of trusting God: As I trust Him, I am drawn more to God and further from evil.
(Prov. 3:8-10)
He is my portion! He gave me new life and I can walk to Him. My heart is different now as I can see His hand directing my life; I can rest in this. I’m operating now by the Holy Spirit and not by my own strength. I have new life in Him. Without God, I was a dead body just walking in this world with an only destination which is more death.
When I’m walking with the Lord, I’m putting everything aside to follow Him! He becomes my priority and my biggest reward. He is first in my life and my life is spinning around Him. I give to Him (as my humble and sincere offering) the best of me: My life, my time, my service, my devotion, my time in prayer, my work, my family, my tithing… He is first and I voluntarily submit to His authority and sovereignty for my life.
Matthew 8:22 ‘But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”’
He is my priority now! I’m living my new life in Him.
I do this because who He is. I do this because I know He is worthy of everything. I do this to be obedient. I don’t do this to obtain nothing in exchange. He gave me new life and blessed me. He is blessing me every day and He is good all the time (even in difficult times -in my sight- or trials. I remember that I am short-sighted. He is good all the time)
The problem for me (very often or always) is that the things God is giving to me are not the ones I want. My heart is deceitful. Sometimes I can think God is a vending machine and I as spoiled kid just cry out for the things I want, and I ignore the things that God is doing and giving me in the moment. He knows exactly what I need and the timing for it.
It’s bad theology to say that God will give me all I want but is better to say that God will provide to me what I really need. It’s bad theology to say that God wants me to be successful in this earthly life but is better to say God wants me to be holy. It’s bad theology to say I will never be sorrowful but is better to say I will always be joyful in Him and His promises revealed in the Scripture.
Hard times will come: moments and situations I will not understand at the time. Good times will also come. In my human sight I can change how I look certain situations from the night to the next morning. However, I can rest and trust in Him, as I do know who He is, and He is the Lord of my life and also, I know He does not change.
- The loving correction of God (Prov. 3:11-18)
(Prov. 3:11-12)
I should not be ashamed when God corrects my path. I should not be ashamed if I need to start over. I should not get mad when He closes a door I wanted open. When He breaks me is to make me more like Him and He does it because He loves me. The problem is that in my flesh I just want the glory and all the prizes, but I forget that is a blessing to be corrected by Him through His word and the Holy Spirit.
The word chastening means correction, discipline, and instruction. Also is used as bond, doctrine and rebuke. It brings me again to the treasure that is the Word of God:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Why do I expect fire from the heaven to realize that I’m not after God’s heart? The Holy Spirit will convict me and I have the full set of instructions in my hand. I cannot appeal to ignorance. In order to correct me, the Word of God:
- Will show me a sin or evil that I didn’t see before
- Will show me how to address it
- Discourage me to embrace the sin or evil
My heart should love correction either in my theology, or my devotion or my behaviors (sinful behavior anyways); and in my prayer I should always include this: “God correct me. Show me You, Me and Transform me. I hate the guy in the mirror, and I want to die to myself more and more every day”. I’m sure that God loves us so much that He would not waste any opportunity to correct us and show us His path.
(Prov. 3:13-18)
When we get close to Him in a sincere manner, we will be broken, and we will keep His word and commandments. His word won’t be heavy to us but will be our joy. We will see the things we need to change, and we will realize that we cannot do it by ourselves.
The word happy that means also “blessed” describes the bliss from being right with God. That is the true happiness.
The word silver and gold here is referring to a treasure. As we can see people getting crazy for gold and silver, where whole towns are build for seeking the ore and mountains are removed to extract it; we should do the same with the Word of God and examine each word, each verse, chapter, each book. The whole counsel of God. It is the most valuable possession we could have in our hands and the most beautiful message we could be taught. This wisdom is greater than all earthly riches together (silver, fine gold, or rubies).
Wisdom is available to us in the scripture, and we should ask God for it. The revelation in Christ Jesus of wisdom models a perfect life. He is the Word of God made human. Ask God for this wisdom as He is the real source as we studied in Proverbs 1. If we do this, God is gracious and loving and He will provide it to us.
- Peace with God and man (Prov. 3:19-35)
(Prov. 3:19)
God’s wisdom is evident to us all. Since creation I can notice how perfect is everything. I can find how He created everything in Genesis and also, I can see how perfectly everything is working right now (and even if I can’t understand it)
God reveals Himself to all, there is not excuse:
Romans 1:18-20 – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”
(Prov. 3:20)
Verse 20 is likely a reference to what happened at the flood described in Noah’s day but is also a reference to His power and mightiness.
(Prov. 3:20-21)
Not depart them from your eyes. It’s a continuous work. Knowing first that we are in this process called SANCTIFICATION, we need to ask Him to transform us to His image more and more. We need to be humble and accept that we are not as good as we think, and we will never be so; God is who can change us.
This is a process; it is a daily process. There are no formulas, no shortcuts… Sanctification is a process and God strength me every day for it. Wisdom and discretion will come, and they are my treasure. I will live differently from now on.
(Prov. 3:23-26)
He chose me as His child. I should walk as one. I should honor my Father as He is the Lord of my life and I should surrender to Him fully. It is a daily walk and I need His wisdom. I can only walk like this being strong and mature in Him and His Word.
No matter what is in my surroundings, I will stand firm with no fear. I know Who is walking with me. For the LORD will be your confidence. It’s not myself who directs my path anymore.
I can relate to this promise of God: Justice. If I reject His instruction and henceforth, Him, I will perish. But if I listen, I will be safe, and I will walk in peace without fear. I will be filled with the Spirit and I will have power in His name to live the life doing His will and being away from sin.
Philippians 4:7 “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Our hearts and minds will be guarded!!
(Prov. 3:27-30)
This is the wisdom with my neighbor. Witnessing our faith is not a task to being performed in secret: in classrooms, hospitals, in church… The way I relate with others is as important as my relationship with God. I can try to explain this as it follows: If I want to be more like Him -being in the Word, being in prayer, knowing more and more of Him- and I know He is good to us, and He is merciful and graceful; so, If I’m not being good to others is a clear indication that my spiritual health with the Lord is not good. I’m not being transformed to His likeness maybe because my sin or my hard heart. I’m not fully surrender to Him. Remind this: Or He is Lord of all my life, or He is not my Lord at all
James 4:17 – “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
- If I know I owe to somebody I should pay.
- If somebody is in need and it is in my possibilities to help, I should.
- I should not lie
- I should not gossip
- I should not plan wickedly against others
- I need to be just
(Prov. 3:31-35)
Do not envy the seems to be something obvious to me, but actually is something I do very often. It’s sad to say it, but my flesh always tries to bring me accumulate treasures in this Earth no matter how. It’s not sin having material possessions that God had provide to us but is sin to desire to obtain them wickedly. Remember: Whatever exaltation the wicked seem to have, it is only temporary. Their legacy shall be shame, but God has a destiny of glory for His wise, and humble ones.
Our duty is to be separated of this world and seek Him only and please Him only. The separation from the world is a personal choice and we need to be intentional on it. However, we are dependent on God and need to pray to Him for strength, wisdom, examination and leading.
The way of evil is broad. The immorality, the violence, the lies, the perversity and sexual depravation are examples of the wicked life.
It is wisdom to avoid places, to avoid people, to avoid circumstances which can lead me to sin. Prudence and discretion are now in my heart, so I will keep my testimony in front of people clean. I will honor God with my life.
Mathew 6:21 – “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Pride and riches set us in opposition to God, but humility and justice aligns with the grace of God. I should to be humble and receive God’s grace only. That’s my goal. There is where my treasure is.
If I get enough wisdom to really know God as He is and know me as I really am (nothing), I will have a natural humility.