“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.” Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV
COVID-19 is called a novel virus. “Novel” is a fancy way to say we know nothing, or very little, about it. We don’t truly know how it is passed around. We don’t know how to cure it. We are not sure if masks are effective or not. We don’t know how long it will take to gain immunity. We don’t know a lot of things.
These days have proven to us how short is our own understanding.
In Solomon’s day there were two Hebrew words for trust. They were similar yet had slightly different meanings. The first word meant that when you trust someone, you have the confidence to flee to that person, knowing there will be safety. The second word is the picture of a little child who is learning to walk. His father reaches out a hand and says, “Come to daddy. I won’t let you down. I’ll catch you before you fall.” This word is the one used in Proverbs 3:5-6. It means, “to rely upon, to have confidence in someone, to lean upon another.” I like the analogy. No matter our age we’ve got to rely on God “… with all your heart,” –as Solomon says. God will never let us fall.
We hesitate to lean completely on God when we can’t see the future. Today, as in Solomon’s day, our own understanding is often an obstacle for trusting Him. We need to be constantly aligned with the truth that God is faithful in his promises, and always accessible. We can rely on His goodness.
How God does something is His business, but our failure to rest in Him and to trust Him often keeps us anxious and spiritually depleted. His understanding goes far beyond ours.
Let’s pray,
“Heavenly Father, our brains fool us into believing we can understand and control our destinies. Our lives are in your hands. We are unable to understand your plans and your reasoning, but we trust you because your love is constant and you are faithful. Give us peace of mind and patience to see your glory during this pandemic. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Liliana Mariano