A Well-Placed Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV).

I give these verses in the King James Version, because that may be the version you used if you committed these to memory earlier in your life. To memorize these verses is good. Better, still, you may have chosen them as “life verses,” instruction from God’s Word to guide your conduct and lifestyle. Notice that trust in God is to be wholly, completely “with all thine heart.” The essence of trust is to recognize who God is and to depend on Him to supply whatever it is we need. This trust does not preclude our working and putting forth effort. It does mean we recognize God for who He is and ourselves as weak and standing in the need of His help. Daily, we should find a “chapel of the heart” where we can commune with God and learn to develop the trust and knowledge of Him needed for Him to “direct our paths.”

In the Chapel of My Heart

“Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk.” -Psalm 143:8

“It is not needful always to be in church with God. We make a chapel of our hearts.” 

-Brother Lawrence

This early hour is a time to worship,

To draw apart from the rush and din;

To enter the quiet chapel of awareness,

To call upon the Lord again.

My Lord and I meet in this chapel;

Whatever the hour, He is already here.

In this time and place He meets me

And gives me grace to banish fear.

Although the future seems uncertain,

Its challenges stretching as a cloud;

In this quiet chapel God’s holy presence

Is certain, ‘though He speaks not aloud.

In calm assurance His Spirit guides me

To know His sufficiency covers every day;

And from this chapel in my heart

I find direction in God’s way.

At whatever time I need a boost in strength,

Regardless of the problem, large or small;

Or just to go aside to praise Him,

How reassuring on God’s name to call.

-Ethelene Dyer Jones 08.28.2016