Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

In poker a player can decide to be ‘All In’ but it is risky. The player bets all her chips on one hand usually forcing the other players to either match her bid or bow out and potentially losing whatever bet they have just placed in the center of the table. Of course, if the bid or bet wins, the player will, for a while at least, be very rich. But, if the player’s hand fails…well…the player losses everything she started the game with and everything she gained while playing up to that crossroad. It can be a bluff or it can be the ‘best hand ever’ but either way; there is no backing out once a player bets ‘All In’. Ultimately though, it is all based on chance…all on speculation…all on human scheming.

In this very well-known passage, memorized and studied and shared throughout the ages, the amazing and deeply reassuring promise at the end of verse five is asking for an ‘All In’ from us. BUT, this ‘All In’ is not based on chance in any way, it is based on Jehovah-God! 

Even knowing that, I ask the following questions and it is sobering.  

Repeatedly, I do not obey these commands, yes commands not suggestions, in this often-quoted verse. And, if I am being honest, sometimes, I don’t want my path to be God’s version of straight. I want it to be my version of straight, which takes a lot of side roads down my pet sins. You know, those sins that aren’t quite as bad as everyone else and don’t really hurt anyone else and they do bring me of this proverb some pleasure, so why not take a side road?

This, of course, is the human condition, even a redeemed human’s condition, to not be able to fully carry out and fulfil this passage. Whether Moses or Joseph or Daniel or David in the Old Testament OR Peter, or John, or Paul in the New Testament; none of them and none of us can accomplish Proverbs 3:5-6 without Jesus! Does that surprise you? How could the ancients of the OT have Jesus? They did by looking forward to the Messiah promised not just to Abraham, Moses and David, but all the way back to Adam and Eve!

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He [Jesus] shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel. [Mine]

Genesis 3:15

Only belief in Jesus as our personal LORD and Savior can humans achieve the commands of these verses and then enjoy the reward of this passage. Only in Jesus can we be ‘All In’ as these verses demand. For the remainder of our lives, if we did nothing else but strive to be ‘All In’ with God through our Savior, Jesus the Christ, what HUGE riches we would receive. Not as the world defines riches, but as God promises riches which are eternal. Will there be risk? Oh yes!  And, it may even seem like we are playing the odds, like a poker bet, but with God, nothing is impossible and nothing is left to chance! 

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21