Ten Years of Paths

Ten Years of  Blogging Paths 

2009 - 2019

The Blog Anniversary Continues

Psalm 25:10 "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies."

Proverbs 4:18 "But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared]."

Paths have always been a fascination to me. Whether they are dirt paths through tall grass or narrow trails in the dirt along a creek bank, paths beckon me to follow them. I want to know where they lead, where they end, and what sites are along the way. The above passage from Psalm 25 says that the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love as well as truth and faithfulness. If mercy, steadfast love, truth, and faithfulness are not a regular part of my life, does that mean that I'm not on the path of the Lord? Hmmm, now that's something to ponder. How do I make sure that not only am I on the right path, but that I stay there? Galatians 5:16 says "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)." I need to examine what I'm putting forth the most effort to satisfy. Am I striving to please my Heavenly Father or am I working at pleasing the cravings and desires of my flesh? Yikes, personally, my flesh says "Let's not go there. That's too radical. Besides, nobody really gets that nit picky anyway." Really, nooooooooobody? Am I sure of that? No, I'm not. What I am sure of though is that my Heavenly Father sent His Word for me to renew my mind. Therefore, in order to become more and more like my Lord and Savior, whenever I find something in that Word that my life is contrary to, I must change and align my life with God's Word. Otherwise, I will find myself on a path other than that of the my Lord, one that does not lead to eternal life.

"But the path of the uncompromisingly just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until it reaches its full strength and glory in the perfect day..." Have you ever watched the sun rise early in the morning? It's my most favorite time of the day. Watching the sun's light come closer and closer until the moment just before the sun tops the hills never fails to thrill me. As more and more light comes in the morning, I eagerly await this moment of splendor when the entire earth appears to be bathed in a golden glow. It doesn't last long, it comes quickly, leaves quickly, and is very easy to miss. Yet, if I'm patient, there is a brief period of time in which every tree, leaf, blade of grass, and hill appears to be outlined in gold. I call it the "moment of golden glory". Something about this particular moment in the sun's ascension each morning brings me great delight. Maybe it's the sweet expectation before the valley is flooded with light at the sun's rising. Whatever the reason, being able to see this always makes my day better. I can't begin to express how excited I was to discover that my special moment of gold is recorded in scripture. It's in there! It's my favorite time of day and it's in there! (OK, perhaps I'm easily amused, but I was still excited.) The discovery was like a special gift from the Father just to me. Then, I actually settled down and read the verse, really read it. What a word picture it is. The closer we get to Jesus, the farther down the path of righteousness we travel, the brighter and clearer things become. The path doesn't get darker and darker. Hallelujah! Not only that, 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. "Has given" means it's already done. We already have it. It isn't something we have to look for, hope to receive, or build up. It has been given. It's ours because of Jesus! We have been given everything we need to walk the path of righteousness. God is SO good.

Psalm 30:5 says that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. When? In the morning! The Psalms also tell us that His mercies are new every morning. Morning, it's a time of hope, glory, brightness, mercy, and joy. It represents full strength and splendor. May you have a heart of "morning" as you travel the path of the Lord this week. May you also enjoy the steadfast love, mercy, truth, and faithfulness found on the Lord's paths as you keep His covenant. God Bless You!