and offers Nature Trails, picnic areas, spectacular views,
as well as never ending photo opportunities.
January 17
I would like to pose a question to begin today's blog. Are we acknowledging God in our decisions? And, if so, to what extent?
One of my favorite Scriptures is found in Proverbs 3:6, and we can see the principles found in this verse played out in today's study. This verse says, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths". There will no doubt come a time in our lives when we recognize a need for God's help and direction. It could be when a doctor tells us there is nothing else he can do for us, or we might be facing financial ruin, old age, the loss of our spouse, an unexpected loss of a loved one, the loss of our eyesight, or facing consequences of bad decisions. There is no end to scenarios where we may need God's help and direction either at present or in the future.
Jacob endured Laban's deceitful tactics for twenty years. To Jacob's credit, he did what was right and was faithful in conducting himself with integrity and honesty toward his father-in-law. Jacob acknowledged God. Finally, God told Jacob He had seen what was happening and that it was time for Jacob to leave and return to his own family. Without God's involvement at this point in Jacob's life, Jacob may not have left this trying situation.
The fact that Jacob had a relationship with God and that God was involved in his life, opened the door for God to direct his path. God assured Jacob he would be with him, just as He assures us He will never leave us nor forsake us (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5).
In chapter 34 of Genesis, our study brings us to an example where God was not acknowledged and Simeon and Levi (Jacob's sons) took matters into their own hands. They did what they thought was right and hatched a deceitful plot, making themselves murderers and bringing reproach on Jacob's family. While it is true their sister was mistreated, vengeance belonged to God, and would have been better served had it been left to Him. Not only did they not seek God's direction, they failed to even bring the situation before their father, Jacob. (Sometimes in reading Scripture, we tend to think that because it is in the Bible, God sanctioned it. The account of Dinah and her brothers’ act of revenge is merely an account of events and says nothing about God directing them to the actions they chose.)
Acknowledging God (period) is the first step in coming to the realization that God's Word is truth. Once we get into His Word, we then discover the fact that vengeance belongs to God (Romans 12:19), along with many other truths. We are overstepping our bounds whenever we seek vengeance. We are leaving ourselves to our own devices and leaning to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) when we do not acknowledge God.
In the final verses of our daily reading in Matthew, I found it interesting that Jesus also made a decision to leave a situation. Once again, acknowledging God and His plan played a part in this decision. Jesus was God in the flesh and He knew it was not time for Him to die. Therefore, when the Pharisees began seeking a way to destroy Him, "Jesus withdrew from there" (Matthew 12:15).
Acknowledging God in all our ways gives us an advantage. We can avoid experiencing the failure and adverse consequences that may come from doing it our way. He can help us to see clearly what it is that we need to leave behind (perhaps it is a vengeful spirit). God has insight that we do not have access to unless we first have access to Him. He loves us so much He "fixed" the sin thing that separates us from Him. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place so that we can enjoy a relationship with God for eternity! Our part is to believe in Him so that we might not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
