Chiasm is a rhetorical device seen frequently in the Bible. In a chiasm, elements 1 and 4 are parallel in thought, and points 2 and 3 are parallel. In my morning Bible reading I noticed one such structure in Prov. 3:5:
Literally, the Hebrew here says:
Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and on your own understanding (do) not lean.
To bring out the force of the chiasm here, I might paraphrase the verse as follows:
Trust the Lord completely! Don't ever trust in yourself!
This is a challenge we must each face individually. I need to worry less about attaining God's plan for my life and just work on today. Trust in God is built by laying stone on stone, one day at a time, in a thousand small, seemingly insignificant ways. Let Christ be our example. He trusted the Father implicity. He knew that his Father could be relied upon. Indeed, God has a magnificent plan for our lives that exceeds our wildest imaginings. And he's willing to both guide and protect us toward that destination.
Will we trust him completely?