If…Then

I have continued to take it somewhat easy today following yesterday’s procedure.  I focused on some work in my home office and did get some rest. I got out to run some errands and to take the dog for a walk. It was cloudy this afternoon and we get a brief rain shower. I will probably get out an mow the grass later this evening.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….  Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.” Proverbs 3:5,6 (NCV)

There are a multitude of promises of the Lord and provision for His people. The key to receiving those provisions often requires actions on our part. For example, “If we confess our sin, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive…” (1 John 1:9) A familiar verse from the Old Testament is 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people humble themselves and pray and seek my face, then I will hear…and heal their land.”

In Proverbs 3, we find a series of these, “if then” relationships. The first and most well known is in verses 5 and 6. It lets us know that the key to “success” is “trusting the Lord with all of our heart, not relying on our understanding and remembering the Lord in all we do…”

The next is in the following verses. Proverbs 3:7,8 tell us the key to “health.” Don’t depend on your own wisdom. Respect the Lord and refuse to do wrong. Then your body will be healthy, and your bones will be strong.” Solomon tells us the a healthy lifestyle has a much to do with our moral conduct and placing the Lord first in our lives as it does with our exercise and diet.

Next we find the key to “wealth” in Proverbs 3:9,10 Honor the Lord with your wealth and the firstfruits from all your crops. Then your barns will be full, and your wine barrels will overflow with new wine.” Once again the key to this important area of life is putting the Lord “first.”

What we see in these verses and others is that following the Lord’s “wisdom” is the path to achieving that which we seek in life. At times it is not the easy or natural response for us. It doesn’t always align with “our understanding.” For example, it is difficult to believe that success comes from distrusting ourselves and how we understand a situation and seeking the Lord’s perspective, and simply trusting in Him.

It doesn’t always make sense that health, comes from honoring the Lord with the way we live our lives. But then again, I am reminded of my many trips to doctor’s offices and the questions related to health history that focus on alcohol use and smoking and other lifestyle issues. Invariably a health assessment is a “lifestyle” assessment. So perhaps Solomon’s wisdom from thousands of years ago, still applies.

In our world of “wealth accumulation” and “making ends meet” it seems odd to put God first, instead of seeing what we have left over after we take care ourselves first. But we see that God’s wisdom in finances is to recognize Him as our source and to honor Him.

We can have confidence that as we align our lives to God’s ways and His wisdom that we find ourselves blessed with the provision of His promises.