Don’t Trust in Your Own Understanding

Psalm 124:1-3 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive.
Psalm 125:1-2 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved…. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.

In 2 Chron 18 it tells the sad story of the end of Ahab’s life. It was a unique situation where, it appears anyway, that the king of Israel (Ahab) and the king of Judah (Jehoshophat) were not fighting against, each other, but were united against Ramoth-gilead. But, the contrast in how they handled the battle is night and day.

Ahab came up with his own human devised plan. He did not seek the Lord, and in fact made a bit of a mockery of the Lord. On the other hand, Jehoshophat was determined to seek God’s counsel. And when Ahab’s plan went array, and Jehosphophat found himself under attack, he again sought the Lord, and the Lord helped him (2 Chron 18:31)

In contrast, because Ahab did not seek the Lord, and relied on himself, “A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate…. and he died.”

In Psalm 124:1-2 David says, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, we would have been swallowed up.” That’s exactly what Jehoshophat experienced. In Psalm 124:8 David says, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Ahab chose to rely on himself and the Lord didn’t help him. But, as David said in Psalm 125:1-2 the Lord promises to surround those who trust in Him.

Don’t trust in your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 )

My prayer for you today is that you will be quick to seek the Lord. That you will not rely on your own understanding, your own ideas, your own plans, but seek God’s will, His plan, and rest in the truth that He has surrounded you with Himself.