The Straight Path

November 9, 2012

I walk a trail around an office complex for part of my exercise routine each week.  It’s a sidewalk trail full of cracks, uneven surfaces, and even some black marks.  They were annoying and unsightly, but I had learned to walk the trail and not notice them so much, until one day my husband walked with me and pointed them out. I knew they were there but I had just gotten used to walking over them.

In the past few weeks, there has been yellow tape around that trail, as workers were present smoothing out the entire trail, cleaning it up, leveling it off and making it new again.  I didn’t walk during that time, because it was closed off for repairs.

This morning I walked the newly opened trail, and the first time around my mind was elsewhere – on the recent election results, on friends in need, on my own frustrations, etc.  It was after I turned the corner to go up a hill – I caught a glimpse!  It was beneath my feet – smooth, new, level, clean – gorgeous.  

I then thought of this verse in Proverbs: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

It was at that moment I began to give thanks for all the times I’ve continued to walk along on bumpy paths, even become used to them and numb to their hazards…and yet He was always going before me setting them straight. 

 Life has a way of cracking the ground beneath our feet to cause us to trip, but He has a better way of softening that ground to make things level again.  Trust Him.

Lord, may I always be aware of you walking before me, and may I always trust that you are there.