King Solomon’s Mines Part 16

by | Mar 9, 2023 | 2013 | 0 comments

Recently I visited my childhood home and school. The memories came flooding back, and I found myself longing for some of those “good old days”.

But those days are over. Play-school began and ended. Graduation was saying goodbye and hello to new experiences in my journey through life.  Some of those experiences have been exciting and others painful – even frightening.  But one thing I have learnt is this: whether positive or negative, short or long, journeying is a natural part of our lives.

The concept of “journey” is central to Scripture. The Bible describes life as a continual path with journeys beginning and ending, as we pass through many experiences. The Bible sometimes describes this as a “walk”.  For example, Noah and Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22-24; 6:9). When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God said that he “must walk” before him (Genesis 17:1). Many years later the Israelites journeyed from slavery and oppression in Egypt into the Promised Land. In the New Testament Paul implores Christians to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called” (Ephesians 4:1; NASB).  Jesus said he is “the Way” and his invitation is “follow me”. The early believers called themselves “The people of the Way” (Acts 9:2). It’s interesting that most of the journeys in the Bible have to do with walking with God. The  point?  Fall in step with God and walk together with him through life.

Because there is such an emphasis on journeys in the Bible it shouldn’t surprise us that the most famous verse in Proverbs teaches us how to walk on these journeys:  

Proverbs 3:5-6

5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6: In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. (NASB)

“Put your whole life in God’s hands,” Solomon writes in verse five “and don’t rely on your own natural abilities, understanding or insight to make the right choices in life.”1 Then he says “In all your ways acknowledge him.” The word “ways” means pathways or journeys. We have our own personal journeys.  Journeys  within journeys. Journeys intersecting other peoples journeys. Journeys involving transitions in relationships, seasons of illness and times of good health. Journeys begin, journeys end.  

In the Bible we read about the various personal journeys of people like Moses, Joseph and David. The apostle Paul was on a journey to Damascus when he was confronted by the risen Christ. In a matter of moments the direction of his life changed dramatically – in more ways than one! Some journeys are like that. We don’t plan them. Yesterday we were heading in one direction and today everything has changed. Paul started the journey a dedicated enemy of the Christian Faith, full of bitterness and hate and a total determination to destroy Christianity. He ended the journey not only as a Christian, but as the man who would travel  on many different and challenging journeys to spread the gospel around the known world.    What about our journey? Where are we headed?

The heart, not the head

We find the answer in the next word in verse 6: “acknowledge”.  The Hebrew word is yada and literally means “know”.  It is a word rich in meaning and carries the idea of coming to know someone intimately by observing, reflecting and experiencing.  The opposite of this is to know through  second- hand information.  It is the difference between a student’s relationship to the material he studies and the relationship between a husband and wife.  This is knowledge of God that is not located in the head but in the heart.

So he’s saying; as you walk along the paths of life get to know (yada) God. The goal is ongoing and it’s about getting to know Jesus in the journey – “in all your ways” acknowledge God.” In all your planned and unplanned journeys, in journeys that unfold because of foolish decisions and journeys in everyday, ordinary activities, Jesus desires your friendship.  

How do we attain such intimate knowledge of God?  Why not take a lesson from Jesus and find a quiet place away from the crowd and the incessant clamour of the day, where you might be able to spend a few minutes each day with God? What about switching off the television and phone for a half hour or so. Just some time when you and God can be alone together: time to listen to him, rest in him, to reflect, to pray (Psalm 37:7). I also would like to encourage you to make Ephesians 3:19 your personal life-prayer. In it Paul prays that his readers will “know the love of Christ.”

Then Solomon says that God “will make your paths straight.” That means God will make your journey a pleasant path. That doesn’t mean you will have a journey without pain, hurt and confusion but in all your difficulties God’s presence and power will sustain, encourage and bless you. 2

Recently my granddaughter called me “grandpa” for the first time. I jokingly said to my son; “It seems that only last month I was a teenager, last week I was a parent and today I’m a grandpa – where did the time go?” Life goes by too quickly. But every different part of life is a journey and whatever is happening to you right now is your journey. Know God in it –  that is your purpose!

1 For a more in-depth explanation of this verse please see “Has He Got Your Whole World in His Hands?”  Face to Face; Vol 4 No.1, 2012, p22.     
2 A powerful example of this is found in the different journeys of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 especially Genesis 39:2-3, 21-23.

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