Matthew 6:33 GNT
Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
At Kingdom Fellowship, we have a mantra that serves as a constant reminder of where our focus should be. The call is, “Kingdom,” and the response is “Focused!” In our text, the Gospel writer, Matthew, also challenges us to focus on building the Kingdom of God, above all things! He employs a wonderful metaphor to tell us of how beautifully adorned the flowers in the field are; so, imagine that if our Father will care for them, how much more will he be concerned about our adornment and needs. The Lord is our Jehovah Jireh, and He is committed to care for us. Although we live in a time that is ripe with anxiety-producing events, we must quell our fears and trust in the Lord! I’m reminded of a Pastor who ministered in an impoverished area in New York. I remember asking him, “How do you do it?” He said, “I take care of God’s work, and he takes care of me!” What a powerful testimony in doing what God required of him! Let’s stay Kingdom Focused!
Where or, more importantly, what is your focus? Is it amassing money, fame, or fortune? In this social media-infused society, where is your focus? What adjustments must you make to align your daily activities to be Kingdom focused?
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
There’s a sentiment lurking beneath the surface of our conversations. It spies around corners in coffee shops, eavesdropping on our dreams and quietly tempering any excitement we may have about the future. It’s so sneaky that it can sit comfortably at the table of our hearts without even being recognized. That sentiment is fear.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, fear dwells at the cusp of our vision, subtly impacting what we see on the horizon. Our fear of the unknown has the capacity to block our imagination and hamper any motivation to become more than who we are right now. It thrives on invisibility, hoping you won’t name what you feel, but simply act on what horrible things are likely ahead.
But something happens when you name fear. When you shine a light on what tries to distort your mind in the darkness, you take power over it. By naming your fear, you turn to face it, denying fear any power to supersede your faith. Because while fear is dependent on what has been seen or experienced, faith depends on what is unseen and on what you have yet to experience in God.
Start this year by naming your fears and placing them under the power of God’s Word. Naming your fear makes room to courageously declare who God is. When fear tries to claim you, put your faith in God’s name and put your fears to shame.
What fear do you need to name before God and what Scripture can you place over it?
Lamentations 3:21-24 NIV
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.”
In 1989, Christopher Williams had a hit R&B song entitled “Talk to Myself.” He lyricized about talking to himself when there was no one else to talk to. He named the awkwardness of talking to himself as a reaction to being hurt by someone else. The song was a hit because all of us can identify with pain that drives us to be alone. No matter where we’ve been or how old we are, we can all sympathize with the occasional need to talk to ourselves.
Positive self-talk can improve your mood, increase your self-esteem, and even help you find solutions to problems. But negative self-talk can make you feel isolated and critical, leaving you worse off than before. When we speak harmful words to ourselves, we are more prone to feel shame and sadness, more likely to beat ourselves up and to criticize others.
But God always speaks words of love and hope over us. Even in the most painful situations, God’s Word reminds us that we are loved and that everything will be alright. Jeremiah reminds us of this when he calls to mind the faithfulness of God and talks to himself about God’s worth as his portion. When life made it easy to think and speak negatively, the Word gave Jeremiah language for self-talk that brought hope and life. When the enemy speaks condemnation and despair, God’s Word speaks forgiveness and freedom from anything that binds us.
Self-talk can be good when it is rooted in the power of what God has said. Let’s talk to ourselves this year with His words that remind us of who we are and of who God is to us.
What is one thing God has said about you that you need to say aloud to yourself?
2 Kings 4:29 NIV
Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”
To obey without delay! Oh, what a difference it makes when we, the children of Almighty God, hear His Words and respond in obedience without delay! We give God glory when we humble ourselves, accept His commands and serve our Lord with gladness.
The prophet Elisha gives specific instructions to his servant Gehazi, beginning with, “Tuck your cloak into your belt.” As faith walkers, there are times when The Holy Spirit quickens our hearts and minds to act with urgency, discipline, and focus in order to achieve a blessed and favored outcome. We must remove all distractions and “tighten up” our state of readiness to do what God has instructed us to do. For one family, taking care of debt, intentionally raising their credit score, researching real estate agents, and making home repairs were part of the, “tuck your cloak” moment for receiving their blessing of a new home. Had they debated and delayed or waited until they completely understood the how and why of what God was doing...the preferred corner lot, 3% interest rate, and pre-pandemic housing market would have passed them by!
Is there an urgent task God has asked you to take care of? Pray and ask God to supply you with Holy Ghost power to run and not grow weary whenever He gives you a Kingdom Focused task to complete!
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
How does one fix their eyes on the unseen? Hebrews tells us that faith is the evidence of things not seen; hence when we focus on growing our faith, God grants His children the power to see the invisible, to know the unintelligible, and to believe the impossible!
The Apostle Paul teaches us a powerful and practical lesson about how we, as people of faith, are to deal with troubles when life brings them our way. Psalm 34:19 says that we will have many troubles in this life (“Amen” goes here if you’ve ever had a health issue, a money problem, a relationship fracture, property damage, car accident, depression, etc.).
Paul gives us a strategy and a “Kingdom Focus” to shift from our natural perceptions to an eternal viewpoint. We must have faith that Jesus is our ever-present help and right there with us during our time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Most powerfully, Paul helps us to place our trouble into the proper chronological context. By faith, we remove the worldly pressures and constraints of time by understanding that while our trouble is very present and very real, our time here in Earth is short when compared to our future Glory in Eternity in Heaven – Where there is the fullness of joy and the perfect peace of God.
To newborn faith walkers, don’t fret. It takes time walking with Jesus and seeing His mighty works day by day to develop and to train up your ability to discern the unseen spiritual truth of God, even while in the midst of real-world problems. Discernment is a gift of The Holy Spirit that strengthens and confirms our faith by revealing to our human minds and spirits what The Holy Spirit sees, says, or knows about our situation. We are to grow from little faith to great faith as we walk with Jesus.
Like a professional photographer, Paul instructs the faithful to adjust their spiritual lenses on the troubling situation until we are able to see the unseen opportunity for God to get eternal glory. Our Heavenly Father gets eternal glory every time you give thanks and witness, and testify of His grace, glory, and goodness.
What are some practical actions you can do to “fix your eyes” on the unseen in order to recognize that your present troubles are “light and momentary” compared to the future glory in Heaven that awaits faithful disciples of Jesus?
Luke 10:38-42 ESV
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Distractions will continue to be all around us which means that we must consistently posture ourselves to avoid them whenever possible. This is why discernment is key because some distractions present themselves as necessary to engage with and in at a specific moment in time. Being able to recognize distractions helps us to remain focused on our main priorities and responsibilities, while ensuring that we are living into the full will and purpose of the Lord. In this Scripture, the issue was not that Martha was taking care of household responsibilities. In fact, she was displaying radical hospitality and what it meant to be an excellent hostess. The issue was in the fact that Martha did not pause from her activities in the presence of Jesus. Her focus and priorities were misaligned in that moment which could have caused her to miss the presence of Jesus and all that He was there to offer. While following the example of Mary is ideal, we must be able to recognize the ways in which we sometimes show up like Martha. This is important for being able to realign ourselves with what is most important, which is focusing on and spending time with the Lord. So, while we are in this life moving around like Martha, let us strive to position ourselves like Mary. Lay down the distractions, shift your focus, and rest in the presence of the Lord.
How are you making the necessary shifts in your life to prioritize focusing on and enjoying time spent in the presence of the Lord?
Hebrews 12:2 NRSVUE
Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
We live in a fast-paced microwave society, and too often, we are tossed “to and fro” and traveling “hither and yon.” The Bible is clear that we must avoid being like “children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). Jesus is our role model and provides a template for being focused. He was fully man, yet fully divine, and at any time, He could have removed Himself from enduring the shame of the cross, but He understood His assignment and did not get distracted or deterred by fear or shame. You see, death by the cross was the lowest form of degradation in Roman times. But Jesus remained focused on His mission, bore the shame of the cross, and, in doing so, allowed it to be transformed as a symbol of the greatest love and sacrifice for you and me! He didn’t come down from the cross; He endured it and provided the greatest gift … the gift of salvation to everyone who would receive it. Jesus, remaining focused, completed His assignment and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Let us vow to stay true and faithful to our assignments. Let’s not be swayed by the distractions of this world. Saints of God, don’t sacrifice “great for good!” God has a plan for your life. Will you accept your assignment?
What are you focusing on? In this season of fasting, praying and introspection, we must ask ourselves, have the ups and downs of life, family, work, and even serving at church sidetracked us from focusing on Jesus and His will and plans for our lives? Let’s challenge ourselves in the coming days and beg the question, how can we realign our will and plans to conform within the center of what God has for us?
Proverbs 4:25-27 CSB
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.
From the time we wake up to the moment we lay head to pillow, this fallen world is vying for our attention. This may sound like an exaggeration but consider what calls for your attention daily – from the material to the immaterial things in our life to sounds and circumstances that chase us. Many of us search for ways to improve our ability to focus because it is a noteworthy human skill with benefits, such as increased productivity and better problem-solving. However, focus anchored in discernment exceeds benefits in the natural! It can put all things into proper perspective. Godly discernment increases our ability to focus, identify internal and external distractions, and judge well. So, if your life is full, busy, and fast-paced, pray for Godly discernment because we must understand that the enemy subtly uses distractions, and our lack of focus to lead us off the path and away from God. Allow Proverbs 4:25-27, to serve as your reference point to get back on track.
What distraction is currently hindering your walk with Jesus?
Romans 12:2 CSB
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Have you ever found yourself driving your usual route to work and missing your exit?
Or have you taken the wrong train by mistake? If you said yes, you’re not alone. Many of us have experienced moving naturally while our minds and thoughts are elsewhere. The mind-body connection is interesting, but these experiences can serve as divine reminders that we can go about our daily lives disconnected and move about with partial focus. This disconnection seems harmless on the surface, but let’s dig deeper. Do you routinely move from home to your car to church every Sunday while your mind is focused on other things? You are physically in church, but your mind is somewhere else. Sure, this can happen from time to time. Your mind wanders, but when we fail to renew our minds daily and bring it under the submission of the Lord, our spiritual growth is hindered. So, if you are feeling disconnected from God, re-establish your connection right now and know that a renewed mind is a focused mind!
What does it feel like in your body and spirit when your mind is not being renewed by the word of God?
Philippians 3:13-14 NIV
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
In Philippians 3:13-14, the Apostle Paul gives us insight into what it means to live a life of focus. Paul talks about forgetting the past and pressing toward the goal of God’s calling. It is easy to become distracted by what is behind us, whether it is past mistakes, achievements, or regrets. Paul reminds us to actively pursue God’s calling for our lives and the eternal prize that awaits us. Paul’s emphasis on forgetting what is behind us is not a call to erase our past or refuse to learn from it. Instead, we do not allow the past to control, distract, or prevent us from moving forward. When we allow our failures, regrets, and successes to define and limit us, we miss the new opportunities and doors God is opening to our lives. When we turn all these things over to God, we give Him control and can focus on doing the work He has called us to complete. While work, relationships, and personal goals might get in the way and distract us, God’s ultimate purpose for our lives is to glorify and honor Him, get to know Him more deeply, and serve Him faithfully. Straining toward God’s purpose for us requires effort, intentionality, and perseverance. The Christian walk is not one of coasting but about pressing toward the goal God has called us to achieve. Whether through a specific calling, a ministry, or deepening our faith and relationship with Christ Jesus, we must focus on God and set out on the path He has laid before us, giving it our all.
Your past is your testimony and a collection of learning opportunities to prepare you for what God is calling you to next. What is God calling you to in this next season?
Isaiah 43:2 NIV
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep you over. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
In this beautiful and powerful promise from God, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that no matter how difficult or dangerous our circumstances might become, God is with us, and He will protect us. This promise assures us of God’s presence and faithfulness even in our darkest and most dangerous trials. In Scripture, waters often symbolize transitions, challenges, and life-threatening situations that must be overcome to move forward. As they fled Egypt, the Israelites passed through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), and later, as they entered the Promised Land, they crossed the Jordan River (Joshua 3:1417). In the New Testament, the disciples encountered a turbulent sea during a storm while learning to trust Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33), and Peter even tested the depth of his faith by walking on water. Each of these moments highlights extreme difficulty, where escape seemed impossible and the waters insurmountable, yet God made a way for His people to pass through. You are God’s creation; “He calls you by name.” (Isaiah 43:1). Take comfort in the fact that God promises He will be with you in difficult moments and that no waters will sweep over you and no fire will destroy you. Just as He protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fires (Daniel 3), God will protect us from the fires in our lives. When Noah and his family endured forty days of rainfall that flooded the earth, it marked a new beginning for all creation (Genesis 7:12-24). God’s Word tells us that even though we may go through trials that test our strength and faith, He will protect us from being washed away or consumed by any flame.
Can you list some examples of when God protected you and brought you through a seemingly impossible situation?
Isaiah 45:2 NIV
I will go before you and level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
In His unwavering commitment to His people, God promises to be our guide and go ahead of us, clearing the path and removing every obstacle that may stand in our way. Sometimes, challenges in our lives appear as setbacks, fears, or circumstances too difficult to overcome. It is easy to feel overwhelmed in those seasons, but God can flatten any obstacle and make a clear path for us to move forward. Whether we face emotional, physical, or spiritual blockages, our omnipresent God promises to go before us to make a way, even as He is with us, guiding and protecting us simultaneously.
Is there anything holding you back from believing that God is paving the way and ordering your steps?
John 14:27 NKJV
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The night before Jesus died, He gave His peace to His disciples. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. This peace was not just for His disciples, but also for us today. We have His peace. The moment we believe in Jesus Christ, He who is the Prince of Peace, comes to live inside of us. And when the Prince of Peace resides in us, every blessing that we will ever need pertaining to our soundness, and wholeness is already inside of us. You may say if this is true, then why do I still see problems in my health, finances, family, and relationships? The answer is a troubled heart. That is why after Jesus said, Peace, I leave with you, He said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Beloved, I cannot “let not” for you. Your family and friends cannot “let not” for you. Only you can “let not your heart be troubled.” So guard your heart from being troubled. And when fearful, anxious thoughts come, remind yourself of Jesus’ Words and say I will not let my heart be troubled! Even when things appear to get worse, say, Lord, I refuse to worry about this.
What is the best way you can guard your heart in this season?
Deuteronomy 28:8 NKJV
The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
When Jesus walked on the earth, He did not have a bank account or credit card. Yet, He was rich, lacking nothing. He had whatever He needed for Himself, as well as for the people around Him. When they needed healing, He provided it; when they needed food, He provided it; as long as they had Him, they had whatever they needed. Likewise, when you have Jesus, you have an anointing within that makes you rich, even though in the natural, when you look at your finances, they may not be much. God promised that He will command the blessings on you in your storehouses. Your storehouses will be blessed because when God commands the blessing, the blessing has no choice but to come! Let’s get our storehouses ready and make room for the blessing. Position yourself to capitalize on the opportunities that He is sending your way. If we could just believe God when He says this, we would be prepared for His blessings.
How can you better position yourself this year to be prepared to receive God’s blessings?
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NIV
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Glorifying God is the overarching purpose, the highest goal for a follower of Jesus. In all the fundamental behaviors of life –right down to eating and drinking – we were created to be living, breathing, walking billboards for our Creator. This, in essence, is what glorifying God means. It means to advertise Him, to reflect His ideals, and to draw attention to Him. Sadly, many people have relegated the overt glorifying of the Lord to those who serve in fulltime ministry. But elevating God to a position of central focus isn’t just for vocational ministers, preachers, and pastors. This same calling goes for every person who calls himself or herself a disciple. Kingdom disciples have been created to operate with God-honoring excellence in whatever sector of life in which they’ve been assigned. Doctors should bring attention to their reliance on God even while they tend to their patients. Lawyers should see each client as a divine assignment while they represent them in the courtroom. Teachers should appropriately and creatively utilize their influence to point their students to Christ and His principles. Entrepreneurs should build their businesses with a solid foundation of integrity that reflects the character of their Father in Heaven, even while they generate income. Mothers and fathers should understand that the joyful, exhausting responsibility of raising children is their holy opportunity to instill in them God’s principles for living. Parents are God’s partners in shaping their children’s lives toward honoring Him.
In what ways can you honor God, advance His kingdom, and broadcast His glory through the spaces and places in which He’s entrusted to us to work and live?
Luke 10:30-33 NKJV
Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
When a lawyer (a student of Mosaic Law, also called a scribe) asked Jesus, “who would be considered my neighbor,” Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer his question. What’s interesting is that this scribe had sufficient knowledge of the Word of God, but his question demonstrates that he may not know how to apply its truth. If we’re honest, there are times when we may fall short on applying the truth of God’s Word…especially when it comes to loving others. In fact, a follower of Jesus cannot separate his or her relationship with God from relationships with other people.
It can be easy for us to initially judge the priest and the Levite for not helping, but let’s look at some cultural context, not to condone their actions, but to provide additional information that may not be readily known. During this time, there were so many priests, they were separated into teams and these teams only served for two weeks out of the year. Thus, if the priest stopped to help, they may have missed their term of service, and if the man was actually dead and he touched the body, he would be ceremonially unclean for 7 days and he would not be able to fulfill his temple duties. Levites led religious worship and maintained the temple grounds; so, stopping to help may have interrupted those duties. Regardless of the reasons or historical context, understand that religious work does not make someone a true servant of God. If you make the decision to follow Jesus, choose to love your neighbor…Republican or Democrat; Black or White; rich or poor…we are all God’s children and we are all each other’s neighbors.
In what ways can you adjust your thoughts or actions to better love your neighbor?
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This portion of Scripture is commonly referred to as the Great Commission. As a noun, “commission” means an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or group of people. It also means a group of people officially charged with a particular function. In this instance, Jesus is the One with the Authority, and thus, has the power to commission His disciples.
The “Great Commission” has not changed since the moment Jesus uttered it. Christians are “to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” And they are to accomplish all of this by His power and for His sake, through His Spirit. When followers of Christ are reluctant to share their faith or fully carry out their commission, it may be because they do not really take Jesus at His Word: “I am with you always.”
Have you ever been in a season where you felt like you were on your own to deal with your struggles or daily responsibilities? If you sometimes feel that you can only depend on yourself, or that you don’t have anyone who will be there or come through for you, you’re not alone. But that feeling of being alone couldn’t be further from the truth. Take heart on those days when you feel that the weight of the world is all on you. He is there protecting, advising, and encouraging us. Hold fast to the truth of God. You see, Jesus commissioned us to be His hands and feet in the world to make a Kingdom difference. He knew it would not be easy. So instead of sending us out to fend for ourselves, He promised to be with us. You are not alone.
In what ways can you carry out the Great Commission in your daily life?
I John 1:4-10 NIV
We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Discipleship was never meant to be easy. The first disciples of Christ did not have the luxury of having their KFAME Bible or the YouVersion app for daily encouragement. What they did have, however, was the distinct opportunity of being an eyewitness of Jesus and His works. The Apostle John was one of these eyewitnesses of Jesus. Because he heard, saw, looked upon, and walked with Jesus, John affirmed himself as a reliable source of truth about Him. John wrote so that the readers would have abundant joy in their walk with God. In this Scripture, he warns about three things that will keep Christians from experiencing the full benefits of being a child of God. To maintain our joy, Christians should never deny the power of sin, deny the presence of sin, or deny the practice of sin. But most importantly, we should focus on being intentional about reconnecting with the source of all joy. Understand that joy that rises above one’s circumstances comes only through fellowship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Do you ever feel like you have joy only when things are going right in your life? How can you maintain your joy despite your circumstances?
Philippians 4:19 NKJV
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
In Paul’s letter to the followers of Jesus in Philippi, we find this familiar, and powerful passage of Scripture.
In it, you should notice that God’s promise to supply all the Philippians’ needs is personal – the verse says, “my God.” Next, we see God’s promise as positive – “shall supply.” God’s promise is pointed – “all your need.” His promise is also plentiful – “according to His riches in glory.” Furthermore, God’s promise to supply is powerful – “in Christ Jesus.” Although we are reflecting on this historical account of God supplying the needs to the believers in Philippi, understand that this is how God meets people’s needs today as well. His promises to supply our needs are personal, positive, pointed, plentiful, and powerful!
God is a promisekeeping God and He will provide all of your needs. Can you think of ways that God provided for your needs in ways that only He could do?
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
For many Christians, this is a very familiar, and extremely powerful passage of Scripture from this book of wisdom. Verse 5 states “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” The phrase “trust in” means to believe that the object of one’s trust can and will do what should be done. “Lean” does not mean to put one’s whole weight on something but to rely on one’s intellect. No one can predict the outcome of his or her deeds. That is why wholehearted trust in the Lord is absolutely essential. In order for God to direct one’s paths, a person must be doing whatever he or she already knows to be right –obedience activates God’s promises. To depend on one’s own understanding of truth and life means to disregard God’s will.
Trusting in God can be difficult, especially when God asks you to do something that doesn’t make sense to you. For example, after observing and approving of the stoning of Stephen, Saul of Tarsus decided to rid the world of as many followers of Jesus as he could (Acts 8:1). The high priest gave him the authority to go to Damascus, root out those who were followers of Jesus, arrest them, and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial and execution. Then Jesus intervened. As Saul approached Damascus (Acts 9:3), Jesus identified himself and then blinded Saul for three days because he was persecuting followers of the Messiah. By the time Saul got to Damascus, he was a convert to Christianity. The problem was that no one on earth knew that except Saul. To Christians everywhere, Saul was still Enemy #1. Imagine the surprise of Ananias, a disciple of Jesus in Damascus, when God told him in a vision to go to Saul of Tarsus in Damascus and lay his hands on Saul so that Saul could regain his sight. Ananias didn’t understand completely, but he trusted in God and was obedient.
When you trust God with all your heart and lean on God instead of your own understanding, God makes great things happen.
How do you usually make decisions?
How much do you rely on your intellect and experiences? How much do you rely on the prompting of God?
Psalm 3:1-6 NIV
Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
In the time of David, a shield was a vital piece of military equipment. Nearly every soldier had a shield to protect his body from his enemy’s weapons, including spears, swords, and arrows. The larger a shield, the more it protected, but the heavier and less maneuverable it was.
The vast majority of shields were personal shields, carried by the fighter himself. But a few soldiers, such as archers, used a very large, wall-like shield that was carried by a second person, called the shield-bearer. His job was to accompany the archer or other warrior and ensure that the shield was positioned to protect that warrior. The Philistine giant, Goliath, for instance, had a shield-bearer so that he could use both hands for his spear and sword.
In Psalm 3, David says that he has a shield all around him. No warrior in Israel’s Army, or any other, had a shield that could protect a soldier’s entire body from any attack, coming from any direction. If David had such a shield in his arsenal, then he certainly couldn’t carry it. He would be dependent on a very strong shield-bearer or multiple shield-bearers to use such a shield to protect him. But no one had to handle the shield that David mentions, because God was that shield. Often, we want to protect ourselves and we ask God for shields and weapons to enable us to do that. David took a different approach – he was completely dependent on God for his protection. God protected David, revealed His glory to David, and reassured David during a time of great danger.
A shield is not a weapon of offense, but something used for protection. Let’s follow David’s example and turn to God for protection during challenging times and spiritual battles. While virtues can give us a false sense of protection, full reliance on God will shield us from our enemy’s attacks.
How can you trust God in this season to be a shield all around you?
