Walk in His Ways

Have you ever tried walking through a thick forest? It can be difficult to traverse, not to mention terrifying. You might hear strange noises, encounter painful thorns or poisonous vegetation, and maybe even be attacked by giant insects who seem to have a personal vendetta against you.

However, one thing can turn a walk in the forest from a terrifying excursion into a life-giving stroll: a pre-paved path. If someone has come before you and done the hard work of cutting away vegetation, packing down the dirt, or pouring gravel, the entire experience changes. You do not have to worry anymore about where you will walk or many of the dangers or pitfalls that could have caused you to stumble or fall. Your path has been set, and you only need to walk it.

On multiple occasions, God’s Word uses a path or a road as a metaphor for life. The question is simple: which way will we walk? Will we walk on the path that God has set before us, or will we try to stumble through the vegetation and brush our own way? Many men and women throughout human history have collected scars, lived horror stories, and survived poison ivy rashes before realizing a simple truth: walking in God’s way and staying on His path are better than going our own way.

In the story of Israel, the story of Jesus, and the story of the church, God shows us the way we should go. How do we find God’s path? It is simple: we learn God’s ways through God’s Word. We can read it, meditate on it, and then live it out by walking in it. As we consider our path, we need to ask, “Am I walking in God’s ways or my own?”

Reflect & Pray

Father, I know that walking in my own way does not lead to life. Please give me the ability to learn Your ways, and the wisdom to walk Your path in obedience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.