Generating Our Trust in God.

Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lead not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths"

Let's take a few minutes to consider these couple of verses from the King James Version (KJV) translation of The Bible. 

Through our modern day understanding of these words God's advice and guidance to trust in Him appears very straight forward and, as always with scripture, very helpful.

However, a look at the more fuller meaning of the original Hebrew words (to which the superb efforts of the KJV translators does not always do justice) helps us to better understand what the writer of these scriptures, Solomon, was endeavouring to get across to the reader or listener.

Take the word the KJV translates as 'trust'; someone reading (or hearing) the original Hebrew text would have understood this to mean being confident, secure and absolutely safe, of being able to rely totally on God as a refuge.

Similarly the word that the KJV translates as 'lean on', would have been understood by the original Hebrew listener to emphasise our need to rely totally upon God's judgement and wisdom in even the most simple of situations.  They need not depend on their own naive instruction.

In the KJV 'acknowledge' is taken from a Hebrew word which would encourage the reader to stop and take a moment to actively recognise and comprehend God's almighty power.

Thus when we gain a wider knowledge of the meaning of the  original Hebrew words it adds to our  understanding of the KJV translation; for me, it gives the text much more impact and power.

As one of God's New Generation it helps me to realise that in times of difficulty we must not look solely to our own very limited and inadequate understanding but take the opportunity to actively seek out God so that we may work in tandem with Him, in partnership, through our problems. 

This partnership with God must be on the basis that we can and must rely totally on Him and trust in His immeasurable ability to understand our individual complex and difficult challenges.  We must accept His guidance and instruction and allow him to safely see us over each and every hurdle.

Finally, a further scripture taken from the Book of Joshua  in which God commands Joshua to trust in Him so that God can help Joshua overcome the many, many daunting challenges which he faced on becoming Israel's new leader after Moses:
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Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with you whither soever thou goest."