Psalm 5:8 “Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.”
When I was a kid my family would travel from our small town in Oregon, to my grandparents house some 200 miles away.
The town of Deadwood, where my grandparents lived, made my hometown look like a metropolis, the only store around was a combination post office and gas station. Flowing rivers snaked through green valleys and the round barn along the way was always a signpost of how the trip was nearly complete. It felt like we drove for days to get to the old blue house on my grandparents farm.
The long journey was turned into joy the moment we pulled into the driveway. Greeted by an old barking dog, the smell of cattle in the fields and an occasional duck calling out in the distance, it was a reminder of the freedom the farm provided. We would run through the fields, swim down at the creek, and explore the barn filled with swallows, there seemed to be a new adventure around every corner.
I felt like a part of me was lost the day my grandparents sold that farm. I can still see them standing around the stove, smoking their cigarettes and preparing for the day. There was often fresh cow’s milk in the fridge, deer meat in the freezer, and discussions hinged on which field to harvest or how to handle some feral cats under the porch. It was all so different than what I was used to back home….I still miss it today.
As the round barn was a sign of good things to come, the Lord places signs along our path as He leads.
The Smooth Way
This world as we know it is coming to an end. The journey can seem long and the way may feel difficult, but the path of the righteous leads to only one destination.
How do you know if you are on the right path?
With all of the different teachings and paths that people claim to be right, how can someone recognize what is true?
The Lord brings indications that He is leading the way. He certainly doesn’t want His people to deviate from the journey and so He provides indications that reveal your on the right path.
Isaiah 26:7 “The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.”
The level path is the path that is upright. The people who follow this path understand how to walk in righteousness. Equity is found among the just because they know and understand the significance of walking in obedience to God’s law.
Psalm 25:4-5 “Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.”
The path of God’s journey is knowing and walking in Truth. The only way to come to the knowledge of truth is to have an encounter with Jesus. Jesus not only is the revealer of truth, He embodies the very definition of truth itself. Humbly accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior opens the door to the filling of the Spirit. As you walk in the Spirit, you are taught knowledge from His Word. Patiently receiving this knowledge as it is given indicates a growing heart of wisdom.
We have a tendency to receive part of the goodness of God and then immediately seek out the next. It’s part of our nature to engorge ourselves on something we enjoy while the determination to speed up the process takes us from seeking the provider to seeking the gifts of the provider. It sounds ugly but what we end up doing is practicing idolatry when our focus is on gaining blessing instead of growing in grace.
Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.”
The path of the Righteousness glorifies God’s name.
The righteous are those who have been made clean by the blood of the Lamb and they walk in His purity.
How do I know If I deviate on the journey?
If I violate God’s righteous law, I break through the barrier of protection and freedom and place myself in a position of danger. The deviancy is clear to fellow pilgrims in the way. Those who love you will bring correction through the Word of God. Prayer and supplication is given to those who are still too stubborn to listen to the watchmen on the wall. The call might go out to return but some people just have to learn the hard way.
Psalm 17:5 “My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you.”
Learning the hard way was a moniker I shamefully wore for a long time. I prayed for wisdom but heeding it’s call was another matter. The shame that accompanies foolishness is difficult to cast off. The regret rarely dissipates even though it may be in the distant past, the shame can be difficult to shed.
If you can avoid trouble that you know will bring much heartache, I encourage you to do all you can to steer away from it. Learn to walk faithfully with the Lord, entrust yourself to brothers and sisters in Christ who love you, and take the necessary steps required to put the enticement behind you.
Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.”
Just remember, it’s not just you that is being harmed by sin, there are others watching you. Kids or those who might look up to you can be deeply affected by lapses in judgement. Walking in the way of righteousness is always better than the path of sin.
Our Testimony
Job 23:11 “My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.”
The enemy of your soul seeks out your destruction. Once you are saved, you are filled with the Spirit and the enemy has lost the battle for your soul. The enemies tactics change from taking your life, to attempting to redirect your life from God’s path. The attempt to rob you of joy or remind you of failure is a ploy to inhibit the perspective of who you are in Christ.
The christian that thinks they are worthless, lives like they are worthless. The only way to confront these lies is to cast them away and embrace the Truth.
Psalm 31:1 “In You, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; save me by Your righteousness.”
Our failures can be our greatest testimony when the enemy sees the one who was left for dead—now made alive in Christ Jesus. You may never know the impact your life had in others by the way you endured and the testimony you have now. Your story can be a powerful reminder to those who want to give up.
1 John 5:9-10 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.”
Rounding the Corner
Traveling along this journey, the days may appear long and the road endless….but it is not. With each corner travailed, we hope to see the house that is waiting at the end. It’s there, it is waiting, and when the time is complete you’ll look back and think…why did I fret?
Life is short. The path we follow will be one of victory if your strength is found in Christ. The difficulty only leads to greater anticipation of things to come and yet there is joy along the way.
Psalm 119:133 “Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me.”
Remember, all those who have gone before us. Do you know what they are doing now? They are rejoicing in the presence of the Lord! Their journey might have seemed long at the time, but the Word of God led them as it does for for His people today. There were many who suffered terribly for their faith and yet for them now, it is all a memory that proved very limited in scope. Eternity dwarfs our lifespan into an infinitesimal blip on the spectrum of our existence.
Life happens quickly….then it is over. Waiting for us are the saints of old and standing in the center will be your Savior. We will be united with them, rejoicing so stand firm, keep your eyes and your mind on that which is to come and before you know it, your time will come as well.
Until then…rejoice in the Lord.
U.T. 