An Enlarged Path

You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. Psalm 18:36

There is a step leading to our carport. It doesn’t take much rain for that area to flood and fill with mud. I have tried everything I can think of to keep this from happening. I know one day I will fix this problem. In the meantime, I have placed some squared blocks that Rose and I can step on when this flood/muddy condition exists. This works as a temporary solution. (We have been in this house for 30 years. “Temporary” is in the mind of the beholder.) Of course, when we use the blocks we have to be very careful. That path is much narrower than the sidewalk. 

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. I tend to think of this in the broadest sense. He is, after all, the only “way” to the Father. However, He also provides a very specific path for our lives. This path is not meant to be a test or a punishment. It’s just the best and safest way to Him. 

Like most paths, it tends to be narrow and somewhat twisting and winding. God knows our tendency to lose focus and to let go of his hand on the trickiest parts of the path. For that reason, He makes the path as wide as it can be and still provide a safe passage to Him.

When we do wander, He does what it takes to try to get us back on track. These course corrections can be uncomfortable, even painful, but they are necessary. If we try to move too fast along the path, he slows down. Timing is everything. 

At some points along the path, there are some pretty sharp turns. There are times in our lives when our direction changes dramatically. It’s often difficult at those times to know if the path is diverging or we are wandering from it. At those points, our steps need to be the most measured and sure, our hand needs to hold His tightly, our trust has to be at the max. 

Our tendency to slip is great, but His love and determination are greater. Hold on, there are glorious things around the bend.

 

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