🎧 Intro (Soft, peaceful piano or gentle guitar fades in) Welcome back to Morning Meditation with Missionary Joe Consford. Yesterday, in Revelation Chapter 2, we heard the voice of Christ walking among His churches — calling His people back to their first love. Today, in Proverbs Chapter 3, we learn how to keep that love alive through trust and obedience. This chapter is one of the most beloved passages in the entire Bible, reminding us that real wisdom begins when we place our full confidence in the Lord. Let’s open our Bibles to Proverbs Chapter 3 in the King James Version. 📖 Scripture Reading (KJV) My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 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. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 📜 Story – Hudson Taylor and the Faith That Never Failed In the 1800s, a young missionary named Hudson Taylor sailed from England to China with almost nothing but a prayer and a calling. He had no promise of support and no mission board behind him — just a firm belief that “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” On one voyage, the ship ran into a dead calm near the equator. The captain came to Taylor and said, “We’re drifting toward an island inhabited by cannibals. There’s no wind, and our sails are useless.” Taylor replied calmly, “Let’s pray.” The captain hesitated, saying, “Do you really believe praying will make a difference?” Hudson Taylor answered, “I’ve never failed to find that God answers prayer when His people trust Him.” They knelt and prayed, asking God for wind. Moments later, a sudden gust filled the sails, and the ship moved safely away from the island. Years later, Taylor said, “I learned that day that God is as faithful at sea as He is on land — if only we trust Him with all our heart.” 💭 Reflection – The Path of Trust 1. The Call to Trust – “With all thine heart.” True trust is wholehearted. It doesn’t hold back or keep a backup plan. When we lean fully on the Lord, we find stability that the world can’t offer. 2. The Caution Against Pride – “Lean not unto thine own understanding.” Our own logic can lead us astray. The wisest decisions are those made in humble dependence on God’s Word and Spirit. 3. The Comfort of Guidance – “He shall direct thy paths.” The Lord not only shows the way — He walks it with us. Trust doesn’t always mean clarity, but it always means companionship. Proverbs 3 reminds us that trust is not passive — it’s an active choice to believe that God’s plan, God’s timing, and God’s path are always best. 🙏 Outro Maybe today you’re facing a decision or a difficulty that feels overwhelming. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Take that burden to the Lord in prayer, and trust Him to guide you one step at a time. Thank you for joining me today on Morning Meditation. Tomorrow, we’ll turn to Acts Chapter 3, where Peter and John meet a lame man at the temple gate — and show us what it means to share what we have in Jesus’ name. Until then, keep your heart open, your Bible nearby, and your hands ready to serve. To follow our family’s journey to Ghana or connect with our ministry, visit consfords.com/connect.