Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
This passage of scripture teaches us the importance of seeking God first and in all things, in all of the affairs and decisions of life. In everything that we do as Christians, we should always have the Bible as the ultimate authority upon which we can stand, for when the above passage says "In all thy ways" it means in all thy ways. The problem is that many of us restrict the word of God from entering into some aspects of our lives, lest it touch some cherished idol, or raise a protest against some habit that we know is contrary to sound doctrine, and so we often keep the scriptures at arm's length, only acknowledging God in times of difficulty, or in those areas in which the word does not disturb.
This is not what the passage in Proverbs means, for we are to consult with, and refer to the word in every aspect of daily living, so that we can make informed and scriptural choices in everything that we do, think, or say. This is what Christ did when He walked this earth in His incarnate form. The Father was consulted in all of the minute and major decisions of His life, and absolutely nothing was done independently of His Father's will, thus setting us the example of what a total surrender to God really is. Let's read:
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 30 "I can of mine own self do nothing" ........ because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
This principle of having our entire lives surrendered to the revealed will of God is what is meant by acknowledging God in all of our ways. The principle covers the entire spectrum of the human experience, not only being restricted to spiritual issues such as forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life, but also the simple, everyday experiences such as eating our daily bread. It was on this point where Adam fell, that satan first tempted Christ in the wilderness. Jesus was suffering from extreme pangs of hunger, and the suggestion to eat bread was not really a bad one, for Christ Himself had prayed "Give us this day our daily bread".
However, there is a "Right way" to eat bread, and if the method suggested by satan, or anyone for that matter, deviates in the slightest degree from the plain utterances of the Bible, then we should not move forward with it, but should rather wait on God to supply our needs, just like Jesus did.
A bandit once broke into a grocery store and stole some food and drink because he was desperately hungry, and as the news media ran the story, many hearts went out in sympathy to the man because of his plight. However, as much as we can feel sorry for him, yet the Bible does not sanction the use of larceny as a method by which bread may be procured, for as Christians, we are never to do something good, by using an evil method or principle. This issue was at the heart of Satan's first temptation to Christ in the wilderness, and we who are His disciples should take note, for we are often brought into similar circumstances, and tempted to deviate from a "Thus saith the Lord".
Before we make that move, before we commit ourselves in marriage, before making that expensive purchase, at school, at work, at play, at the grocery, and at the food table, let God be acknowledged in everything, and we would find that when this principle is implemented consistently, that the voice of God will become much more distinct in our consciences, for we would have been brought to the point of being willing to listen to His every word. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which calls on us to surrender all our ways to The Lord, for when we do this, God can then save us from making serious and regrettable mistakes. Let's read:
Isaiah 58:9 "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am" ........ 11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
May we allow God into every area of our lives so that His good pleasure towards us can be fulfilled in due season. "Good night" and God bless!