The Mines of King Solomon (part 16)
Shortly ago, I visited my parents' house and my school. Memories came back and I longed for the good old days. But these days are over. The kindergarten started and stopped again. Graduating meant saying goodbye and welcoming new life experiences. Some of these experiences were exciting, others rather painful and even scary. But whether good or bad, short or long, I have learned one thing: to stay on the path, because the changes involved are a natural part of our lives.
The concept of travel is also central to the Bible. The Bible describes life as a path with different times and life experiences that have a beginning and an end. The Bible speaks of walking here. Noah and Enoch walked with God (1. Mose 5,22-24; 6:9). When Abraham was 99 years old, God said that he should walk before Him. (1. Mose 17,1)Many years later, the Israelites walked the path from Egyptian slavery to the promised land.
In the New Testament, Paul exhorts Christians to live worthily in the calling to which they have been called. (Eph 4,1)Jesus said that he himself was the way and invited us to follow him. The early believers called themselves the followers of the new way. (Apg 9,2)It's interesting that most of the journeys described in the Bible involve walking with God. Therefore: walk in step with God and journey with Him through life.
The Bible places great emphasis on being on the journey. Therefore, it should not surprise us that a well-known saying addresses this theme: “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 straight your paths.” (Spr 3,5-6)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart," writes Solomon in verse 5, "and do not trust in your own understanding" and "in all your ways" remember him. Path means travel here. We all have our personal journeys, these are journeys on this great journey of life. Journeys that intersect with other people's journeys. Travel involves changing relationships and periods of sickness and health. Journeys begin and journeys end.
In the bible we hear of many personal travels of people, such as Moses, Joseph, and David. The apostle Paul was on his way to Damascus when confronted with the resurrected Jesus. Within a few moments, the direction of his life's journey has changed dramatically - in more ways than one. That's the way some travel. We do not plan it. Yesterday there was still one direction and today everything has changed. Paul began his journey as a vehement opponent of the Christian faith full of bitterness and hate and a will to destroy Christendom. He ended his journey not only as a Christian, but as the man who spread the good news of Christ in the world on many different and challenging journeys. What about your trip? Where are you heading?
The heart and not the head
In the sixth verse we find an answer: "Remember." The Hebrew word jada means to know or know. It is a word of great importance and involves getting to know someone deeply through observation, reflection and experience. The opposite of this would be to get to know someone through a third party. It's the difference between the relationship a student has with the subject matter they are studying and the relationship between spouses. This knowledge about God is not primarily found in our heads, but above all in our hearts.
So Solomon says that you will get to know God (jada) if you go your life path with him. This goal is always during and it is about getting to know Jesus on this journey and commemorating God in all ways. On all planned and unplanned trips, on trips that turn out to be a dead end because you've taken the wrong direction. Jesus would like to accompany you on the daily journeys of normal life and be a friend to you.
How do we receive such knowledge from God? Why not learn from Jesus and find a quiet place, away from the thoughts and things of the day, where you can spend time before God each day? Why not turn off the television or your cell phone for half an hour? Take time to be alone with God, to listen to Him, to rest in Him, to reflect, and to pray to Him. (Ps 37,7)I would like to encourage you to Eph3,19Make it your personal prayer for life. Paul prays for this: “to know the love of God that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
“Solomon says that God will guide us. However, this does not mean that the path we walk with God will be easy, without pain, suffering and uncertainty. Even in difficult times, God will nourish, encourage, and bless you with His presence and power.
Recently, my granddaughter called me Grandpa for the first time. I jokingly said to my son, “It was only last month when I was a teenager. Last week I was a father and now I'm a grandfather – where has the time gone?” Life flies by. But every part of life is a journey and whatever is happening in your life right now, it is your journey. Knowing God on this journey is your goal.
by Gordon Green
