Following The Path

During the warmer months of the years, and even when the weather isn’t that great, many people love to get outside and walk or hike certain forest paths.  There are lots of them not only locally but around the world.

One of the most popular, famous, and challenging paths around here is the Grouse Grind which is an uphill path with an elevation change of more than 800 meters.  Have I ever climbed it?  Not on your life.  I’m looking for a flat path, thank you very much.

These words from the Bible had me thinking about paths today.  What’s the path ahead of us look like and why?

The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

Proverbs 4:18-19

Just one of the benefits of doing life with God is that he gives us more and more light as we journey with Him.  I like the description of how it’s at least dawn but then gets brighter and brighter as we walk in God’s way.

Anyone who has walked a forest path knows that it’s so easy, even on well-tended paths,  for a tree root or something else to get in the road and cause us to stumble, particularly if we are trying to navigate that pathway in the dark.  God is so kind here to warn us that trying to do life with only our own wisdom is just like that.  We need His accompanying light.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

Thank You God for Your instructions that guide and light our way as we go forward.  Give us grace to follow that light and live in such a way that our lives bring light to those around us.  We want to be righteous people and even though we may not see a long way ahead of us, we know that You will be faithful to clearly reveal the next right step. 

Help us to trust You, to follow You, and to avoid the pain and challenges that come from trying to navigate in the darkness.  Forgive us when we do that and guide our feet into Your pathway of peace we pray.  Amen

Let me end with some words that have encouraged me for decades now about God’s tender mercy guiding us to the path of peace.

Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

Let’s walk well on our path today.  Have a great day.