The Path of Life
Jeremiah 10:23-24
23 I know, O LORD, that the
way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his
steps. 24 Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring
me to nothing.
Life is like an untraveled
trail with complex twists and turns. Appealing activities can be detours that
lead to the quicksand of sin. And engaging philosophies may form side paths
that end up in a mire of muddled thinking. Even the best route isn’t all
sun-dappled meadows and quiet riverside lanes. We may at times have to journey
over hard terrain or shadowed valleys. The only way to be sure we’re walking
right is to follow one who knows the way perfectly.
God is the perfect,
full-service Guide. No one can go wrong by keeping to the pathways He selects.
Consider that He lovingly and intentionally created you for this time and this
place. The Lord watches over your steps because He desires to see your purpose
fulfilled and His plan come to fruition through you (Prov. 3:5-6). Therefore,
He promises to counsel those who follow Him (Ps. 25:12). When God warns His
children away from a tempting sidetrack, it is
because He foresees the dangers that lurk on that road.
There’s a correlation between
ignoring God’s guidance and ending up in trouble: the one who stumbles off
course has trusted his own “sense of direction”--his emotions, desires, or
personal version of morality. He’s been pursuing what feels good or looks right
instead of seeking the Lord’s will.
God has mapped out the path
before you. He is aware of every obstacle and miry pit, and He knows exactly
which sidetracks will tempt you. What’s more, He has
committed to walk beside you as a Guide and Comforter so that you never face
the twists and turns of this life alone.