Make Your Paths Straight - Friday, May 11th, 2007

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

After prayer time this morning, I came into the house to hang out with my wife and two little girls for a bit before I tackled the tasks ahead. And as I was changing my daughter’s diaper, the phone rang. It was very timely as the Lord provided the words I needed to hear. You see, over the past 32 days, I have been extremely excited to see how the Lord has been working in my own life. He has been allowing me to bask in His presence. He has been teaching many new things each and every day. I love what I am learning about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. But over the past two days I have also been struggling with what I am to do after the days to follow, specifically right after the tent is taken down. Thankfully, a newfound friend through the revival gave me some simple, yet wise advice over the phone. He said, “Focus on the task that I have been given.” Meaning, I should look to finish strong with the 40-day tent revival. Don’t worry about any of the days to follow. Whatever is to come, will come. This man was not saying, nor am I, that we shouldn’t look ahead and be prepared, but for me personally, if something is to follow this 40-days, then someone else needs to step up. I need to stay with the task that I have been given. I must not quit a week early because I am trying to plan something else. The words over the phone lines were sweet to my ears. I have been given the walls of Dallas to rebuild along with the body of Christ, and that is our current task at hand. Too many times, visionaries have a hard time staying true to today. There is something always right around the corner. The grass looks greener on the other side. But as I was reminded this morning, I must live for today. Enjoy the moment. For this day, the 33rd day of the 40-day tent revival will never happen again. This is all I have been promised, so I might as well make the most of it.

So if something is to be planned for the days to follow the 40-day tent revival, than I give it over to the Lord. I wish I knew what lied ahead, but I don’t. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Even though I can’t see how the Lord is unfolding the big picture for Dallas, I must place my trust in the Lord. And over time, I can be assured that He will unveil the path for our city. God is in control, I just need to trust that He will. “The words ‘trust in the Lord’ echoes the Great Commandment, which is to love God with all our being.” How convicting. If today is all we have been given, then we must give it ALL we have with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Solomon also wrote, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” What does the son of David mean by this? He means that we ought “to observe Him and get to know Him in the process of living. In doing so, a person finds time and time again that God smoothes out paths.” Isn’t this the truth? Just when we think the road is closed, God will clear a path for us. But the key to acknowledging Him is actually acknowledging Him. For when we do, God will show each of us the next step for the day. Because in all reality, that is all we have been given.
- klm