Seek and You will Find

Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding

This has been a favorite scripture of mine, coupled with verse 6, since I put it to memory shortly after coming to the Lord as a teenager.  It is one that I have relied on through some of the hardest times, and one I have used to remind myself that He is Lord of my life, regardless of my desires, my fears, my wisdom, or the wisdom of this world. 

It’s a simple scripture, one that taken at face value is powerful and meaningful, but God’s word is really never surface level.  It has layers upon layers, and as we begin to pull back the layers, the simple becomes beautiful, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. 

Let’s start at the very beginning – TRUST.  Did anyone else read that last sentence and begin to sing with Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music?  As she was beginning to teach the Von Trapp children about music and singing, she sings the song, “Do-Re-Mi” and the very first line of that song is, “Let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start.”

In that song, Julie Andrews, or Maria, defines each note to make them easier for the children to remember:

“Doe, a deer, a female deer
Ray, a drop of golden sun
Me, a name I call myself
Far, a long, long way to run
Sew, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow Sew
Tea, a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to Do (oh-oh-oh)”

This is very similar to what I want to do with this verse, and again, our first word is trust. Trust, in the original Hebrew language, is the word batach. It means to be confident or sure, to be bold and without care.  It is a confident hope.  This word, trust, is the Old Testament word for the New Testament word faith, or believe.  It is a place of dwelling in security, as opposed to fleeing for security.  We see it used also in Psalms 91:1-2.

Psalms 91:1-2 – He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

We can live every day, every hour, and every moment in a place of security and rest in our God.  We don’t have to run there when times get hard or when we are surprised in a moment with a difficult decision.  Also note that there is boldness and confidence ascribed to this kind of trust. Confusion and wavering are not found here, but peace, rest, assurance, and hope are. 

Now let’s look at the word HEART.  The Hebrew word here is leb. This word is defined as the innermost being, and is also used widely to describe the will, the intellect, or feelings.  It characterizes the very center of a person. It is not just the seat of our emotions, but it is who we are completely, every area of our mind, our will, and our emotions.  This is our soul. 

And finally let’s look at “LEAN” and “UNDERSTANDING” as they are used in this verse.  Sha ‘an is the Hebrew word translated as lean.  It means to trust in or rely on.  It also means to support oneself, or to rest on. Fairly self-explanatory, I know.   And, finally, biynah is the Hebrew word translated as understanding.  This word is defined as understanding, wisdom, or knowledge. 

The second half of this verse follows up on the first half, which tells us exactly where to put our trust and with how much of ourselves to put there, by reminding us not to put our faith in or to rely on what we know or understand.  God’s wisdom and His knowledge far surpasses even the greatest minds on the earth, and that is why we are told to rest in Him, to put all of our faith in Him, and to dwell in His presence continually; every part of us submitted to Him as Lord because His love for us is eternal and His wisdom and knowledge are infinite. 

If we slow down for just a moment and take the time to look deeper into this scripture, I hope you will see the layers.  At a quick glance, this scripture can be put to memory and can offer help and guidance throughout your life.  But, with a deeper lens, this verse can change your perspective and cause you to not just pull it out of your memory box when it’s most needed, but to live and dwell in a place of security, trust, and reliance on the Lord of your life! This place removes all our fears and extinguishes all our anxieties as we give them to Him.  It almost sounds impossible, but with God all things are possible!

Are you willing to find this impossible, but possible, place with God?  It’s not hiding from you, but waiting for you.  Seek and you will find.
 
Quinn Pruett