Musing – Why would we want to Lean on Our Own Understanding?

Hebraic Musing – Why would we want to Lean on Our Own Understanding?

What’s wrong with Leaning on Our Own Understanding? And I it all the time, or most of the time. When things go wrong, then I remember Proverb 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight”.  NIV

I don’t have time or space to list all the things that I do not understand. Maybe it is okay to go through things in life that we don’t, or can’t, understand!  We don’t have to understand everything; God understands and knows everything and that’s all that matters. He is the MASTER PLANNER.  In business terms – “That’s what he gets paid the big bucks to do.”

If we could understand God’s ways, then His actions would be limited to our intellectual capabilities. I don’t know about you, but I want to serve a God who is not limited by anything!  It doesn’t make sense to pray to a God who I can understand.  I like the fact that Almighty God has ways to make things happen in my life when I don’t see a way.  My God even has ways to bless me that I don’t even anticipate.  I appreciate serving a God who can make sense out of my messy life when I can’t see a way to clean it up myself.  Bottom line – I want a God who is bigger and smarter than me!

As human beings, we want so much to understand everything that is going on in our lives. We’d like to see everything that has happened and everything that will happen in a neat box all tied up with a pretty ribbon.  However, God doesn’t work that way. That would be placing God in a box. Our God is way too big and far too great to be contained in a box we create. He works in ways that we can’t possibly comprehend, and probably shouldn’t.  I can relate to Solomon who applied all his wisdom and finally said  “…‘I am determined to be wise’– but this was beyond me” Ecclesiastes 7:23 NIV.

How often do we question the rationale behind some of the rules, guidelines and commandments in the Torah?  God’s wisdom is beyond us as to both His laws and how He is working in our lives.  Why would we regress to “Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.” Isaiah 36:6 ESV?

In closing, let’s go forth today singing and listening to the words of that sweet refrain:
vs 1♫  What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms;
            What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms.
  ♫     Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
            Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Vs 2♫ Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms;
            Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Vs 3♫ What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms?
            I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Points to ponder

Why do I (or we) insist on leaning on our own understanding?

Shalom

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                                    July 1, 2014

Author of two books “Hebraic Insights” and  “Biblical Marriage”
And weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings” 
Yosef1@cox.net  or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

     Inspired by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’ Holy Land Moments – June 24,2014