Assembly of God
By Sheryl Franco
Co-pastor
The passage Pastor Chuck Franco is focusing on this week is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (NLT). If you were a church kid like me, it is probably one of the first verses you memorized in Sunday school. But the words were probably slightly different than the translation quoted here. The words “submit to” are used in place of “acknowledge,” and that little nuance of meaning makes a world of difference when I apply the Scripture to my faith walk.
Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica is a popular tourist stop. The water rushes over a 1,000–foot drop of naturally terraced rock into the ocean. And if you have a taste for adventure, you can climb the falls from the beach to the top. The best way to make sure you will survive your excursion and enjoy the rest of your vacation is to follow a guide, who has made that trip hundreds of times before you.
Before you start the climb, the guide emphasizes that this is a naturally occurring geological formation, subject to natural elements and danger. It is not a curated ride at Soak City. There are crevices and holes in the rocks, unexpected deep spots, fast water,and slick moss. His instruction is to “walk where I walk.” And he doesn’t always walk through the calm spots. He sometimes takes a very unlikely path through places that are steep, deep, rough or slick. But if you walk where he walks and listen to his instructions, you will have one of the most memorable experiences of your life.
My understanding of Jamaican waterfalls is extremely limited. Had I attempted that climb by myself, relying on my own knowledge and instinct, I would have probably had a different type of adventure in a Jamaican hospital. When I put my full trust in my guide, who knows that waterfall from bottom to top and back again, who has made that climb with other travelers, who understands the ebb and flow of the cascading, turbulent water, when I submit to his leadership, I have the assurance that I will make it to the top.
God is our guide. He knows our journey from beginning to end. He knows the dangers we will encounter. He doesn’t promise to remove the danger, but he does promise that if we trust and submit to him, he will guide us along every path. He will help us when we become paralyzed by fear and doubt. He encourages us along when we are doing well.
I need that kind of guide. Do you? I urge you to reach out to him and acknowledge that you need his leading today and every day. Submit to him, and he will be with you all the way to the end of your journey.
