Word to the Wise: Trust

Intro

Begin with a few more sayings from “Wise and Otherwise”

Czech, Danish, English, Danish, Samoan

Read Proverbs 3:1-12.

Share about losing sleep over worry and then preparing this passage

There may be many areas of your life that don’t make sense or feel out of control

Let’s learn to trust the Lord more wholeheartedly together!

I Do (Trust in the Lord)

Not just any trust; trust in the Lord “with all your heart”

This deep personal trust is best reflected in marraige relationships

It is this type of heartfelt commitment to trust that God desires… “I do” trust in the Lord

Show a few wedding pictures and be funny about it

Talk about the importance of “I do” vows in marriage ceremonies

The vows of trust we make to God are not one-sided; he vows as well

Did you pick up on the covenant language of Proverbs 3?

Keeping God’s commandments leads to a long life in verses 1 - 2 (just like Exodus 20:12)

Steadfast love and faithfulness should be writte on the “tablet” of our heart in verse 3 (recalling Moses and Law)

Giving the “firstfruits” of your wealth in verse 9 echoes the Law in Exodus 23:19.

Even the loving discipline of a father to a beloved son is borrowed from Moses’ teaching in Deuteronomy 8.

All of these examples are reminders of God’s covenant faithfulness

Yes, we commit to whole-hearted, life-long, faithful trust in God… but He has commited to His people as well

And unlike us, God always remains perfectly true to His promises

Just like in any marriage relationship, our vows of commitment and trust in God are tested during difficult times

It’s easy to trust when everything is going well! But is that even trust at all?

Precisely when trust is the most difficult is when it is most important

Don’t be discouraged! Be aware; be on alert; use uncomfortable emotions to deepen your trust in God

Like “trusting” the bungee jumping equipment while never actually jumping

I Do Not (Trust in Myself)

In marraige you say “I do,” and commit to faithful love of your spouse, but you also renounce and forsake all others; your “I do” contains an “I do not”

In this case, “I do not” trust in myself

As Proverbs describes it, “do not lean on your own understanding” and “be not wise in your own eyes”

This calls us to remember: God knows better than we do

There are times where God finds a way where we see now way

Use the illustration of having a bird’s eye view of a corn maze

He has done it before, and He will do it again; remembering deepens our trust

Worldly wisdom can actually become an obstacle to faith and trust in God

Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:20-24.

Jesus remains the prime example of God’s wisdom to find a way where there seems no way

Sinful, alienated from God, unable to save ourselves… no amount of wisdom could help

God Himself came down to our level, reconciled us to Himself through the sacrifice on the cross, became the Saviour we needed

All of this turned wisdom and power upside-down: The humility of the cross became the victory of Christ

The wisdom of the world will fall short; Jesus never will

We can see how this trust in God’s wisdom takes a step further: It is also deep trust in God’s strength

Not only is He wise, but He is sovereign and able to actually do something when we are out of control

Just as Jesus was the Saviour we needed but couldn’t provide

Cf. Jeremiah 17:5 - 8.

Begins with the “I do not” trust in my own strength

Picture of a shrub in the desert… absolutely parched and unhealthy

If you try to control everything in your life you will always be lacking; never enough

Ends with the “I do” trust in the Lord

Picture of a tree planted by water, able to withstand heat and drought

Beautiful! This shows to be true when hard things happen; this is where we test our trust and also see God come through for us

Don’t shy away from hard things; God is ready to help you through drought and storm

I Have (Relationship with God)

Obviously, the commitment of marriage is lived out in close, personal relationship

Our commitment and trust in God should reflect the same thing; “I Have.. a Relationship with God”

“Acknowledge” God in verse 6 is not talking about merely saying that God is… God

It is to “know” the Lord and to be “known.” It is all about relationship, and its the key to the promise

In all your ways know/love/relate to Him, and He will make straight your paths

This is a relationship defined by love

Pure love shown by Jesus on the cross as He chose to die for you… no greater love

Love is what God desires in return as part of our commitment and trust in Him

Let your heart keep my commandments (v. 1)

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you… write them on the tablet of your heart (v. 3)

For the Lord reproves whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights (v. 12)

Trust doesn’t come from blind obedience to commands, and that has never been God’s desire.

Get to know Him more, seek to deepen your love for God, and trust will naturally follow

Refer to Tim Keller’s advice to seek out time just to be with God

I Receive (All That I Need)

Lastly, there are many promises attached to the call to committed, loving trust in God

Long life! Peace! Favor and good success! Straight paths! Full barns and vats (wealth)!

Perhaps nothing summarizes it better than verses 7 - 8 (read these)

More than just physical healing; speaks of holistic well-being; I Receive…All That I Need.

The harder it seems to trust in the Lord, the more you likely need the benefits of that trust

Loss of a loved one; losing battle with mental illness, strained relationships with loved ones, mounting financial troubles, loss of a job, physical sickness (and more)

When you say I do (trust in the Lord, I do not (trust in myself), I have (a relationship with God), you can also say “I receive all that I need”)

Do all these things immediately go away? No! But it is the wisdom and the strength of God alone that are capable of healing; you can’t do it on your own… stop trying

Conclusion

Just as marriage reflects, to trust in the Lord with all your heart is about love and commitment; you can say:

I Do (trust in the Lord)

I Do Not (trust in myself)

I Have (a personal relationship with God)

I Receive (all that I need)

Word to the Wise: The trust God is looking for is lifelong, faithful commitment.