Proverbs 4:18-27
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 Pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Matthew 7:13,14
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Proverbs 4:18-27; Matthew 7:13,14
A CAREFULLY CHOSEN PATH
Springford Baptist Church: September 4, 2021.
Well, I have just returned home from walking another 40 km of the Bruce Trail. It has been a wonderful experience of appreciating God’s creation. I’ve been in quiet places of stillness and beauty and witnessed the stark contrasts of rocks and trees. There has been time to notice the intricacies of a wide variety of wildflowers. There have been steep climbs and demanding descents. Sometimes we would walk along on level places and sometimes we would wonder when we would ever get to the top. There were spectacular views both on the heights and in the valleys. Hawks have been seen soaring and tiny song birds have accompanied our journey. A persistent life lesson in all of this has been recognizing the importance of, “A CAREFULLY CHOSEN PATH”. This is where we are centering our thoughts today in listening for what God wants to say to us.
What is the carefully chosen path that God intends us to follow? How can we ensure that our daily walk with God sees us staying on the narrow road that He has designed for us to travel? Both of the Scriptures we are looking to for inspiration around this carefully chosen path, can give us direction and both affirm that we must live our lives of faith with intention and determination.
I am going to share some of the things that I have learned while walking the trail that parallel what it is like to walk A CAREFULLY CHOSEN PATH in our life journeys with Jesus.
One of the first necessities when walking the Bruce Trail is following the blazes. There are regular markers along the way to ensure that the right path is being taken. If there is to be a turn to the left or right that is indicated. It is important not to get off on another trail because there are several side trails along the way that will lead to different destinations. Sometimes the side trails follow a loop that would have people go in a big circle and just end up back where they started. As followers of Jesus, it is an absolute necessity that we pay attention to His direction for us. When we read Scripture and when we pray and listen for God’s leading, we are looking for the markers that He has set out for us. We are trusting God to clearly show us His way for us and we are not venturing off in another direction.
On the Bruce Trail to leave the path can actually be dangerous. There are steep cliffs and drop offs that could result in serious consequences. Sometimes I don’t think we as believers recognize the dangerous consequences of leaving the path that God has for us. Jesus urges us to stay with the narrow path. The broad road is likely to be the path that several others have chosen and we might be inclined to think that would be fine for us too, but Jesus tells us differently. What decisions may we find ourselves making in what we think and say and do in this week ahead that will have us staying on the carefully chosen path of wanting to please God?
Another lesson along the trail is to keep walking. Of course there are times when energy wanes and especially on a steep climb we may wonder if we will be able to make it. Likewise, in our lives when we are going through a particularly difficult time, we may wonder how we will keep going. God is available to reassure and to walk with us and to urge us to keep climbing. At one point on our Bruce Trail adventure I was saying, “Each step brings us one step closer.” And I thought, yes, that’s true of life as well. Each step of obedience and trust, as we walk the carefully chosen path, brings us closer to God and closer to our destination of eternity with Him.
When walking the trail there are things of which we can’t be sure. One of them is weather. We were fortunate on this trek to have ideal weather. This is certainly not guaranteed. Extremely hot weather could really slow things down. Rain or thunderstorms could require staying put for awhile. All of us have life circumstances that affect our plans. When there are winds that blow against us how do we react? Do we keep looking to God to guide us. Are we prepared to change our plans in order to progress along the carefully chosen path how and when God leads us? In many ways this time of the pandemic has been and continues to be like adverse weather conditions. We cannot ignore it. We are affected by it and some of our plans have to change. Still we persist in looking to God to guide us and to shape our attitudes as we follow His carefully chosen path for us.
Proverbs 4:26,27 confirms,26 “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
We can know as we are making decisions every day about what it means to follow God’s carefully chosen path for us that God will help us to be steadfast in all our ways. God wants to show us how to stay on the narrow path that leads to life. It is a path worth finding. We do not pretend that it is easy to choose God’s carefully chosen path. Our awareness of our constant need to depend on God and to look to him for guidance is what will keep us in His way. Trying to navigate it ourselves without God will not be possible.
When we consider Jesus, God’s Son, He is our example of following God’s carefully chosen path. He was willing to follow the path that led Him to the cross and that is what has ultimately given each of us the gift of life, eternal life.
This morning we remember again in the observance of Communion that Jesus did not turn aside from the path that God had for Him. Out of His committed love for us, Jesus walked the path to Calvary and gave Himself for us. He made it possible through His grace for us to walk the carefully chosen path that God has for each of us. Will we willingly choose to walk this carefully chosen path that leads to life?