Last spring, as the snow started to melt during a few warm March days, I decided to go for a walk with my dog in the woods behind my house.
It is a beautiful walk beside a creek and then up steps that are built into the hillside. The loop takes about twenty minutes to walk, a bit longer sometimes with my old dog, who stops at every tree. I know this route well as I have lived here for almost 30 years and have walked it many times.
On this particular day, I noticed a couple of moms with kids in tow who seemed to have lost the path and struggled with their strollers in the deeper snow. I could understand how this had happened to them because when the snow begins to melt, the path loses its definition. You can no longer see the main path and could easily be led to follow the footsteps of others who have tramped down the snow in different directions. The environment around the path changes in various seasons, and it can look very different.
In Fall, the leaves completely cover the path. In summer, when the leaves are full on the trees, it looks very different than it does in winter when all the branches are bare, and you can see through the trees to the surrounding neighbourhood. Over the years, I have also become confused and lost my way a couple of times. I once felt slightly anxious, trying to find my way back to the path.
Just as these thoughts were swirling in my mind, I clearly heard the Lord say to me; this is the reason I need to know Him well and keep studying His word. He impressed upon me the importance of having a solid grounding in His word, in the truth of who He is and who I am in Him so that I don’t get confused in various seasons of life. As I go through life, it will be easy to see Him and find Him, but in some seasons, it may be more difficult in other seasons.
Yet, if I know Him well enough, I will be able to follow the path He has for me even when I can’t see Him as clearly.
I wrote this blog about six months ago, and the Lord brought it back to my mind through a recent health challenge. I was reminded that staying connected to Him in the good times lays the foundation for strength when we go through tough times. During my recent season of diminished health, I went to a bit of a dark place in my mind. My brain was not receiving the regular flow of oxygen and therefore couldn’t function at 100%. It made me realize the importance of not procrastinating in building our relationship with the Lord, as we never know when our ability to do so might be taken away.
This also brought to mind the scripture about having the law written in my heart. When I know God well, know His character, know His word, then I will be able to instinctively know the right path to follow and who to trust even when my brain isn’t working too well.
Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. Romans 2:14-15 NLT
Father God, thank you for revealing this amazing message to me. Thank you for reminding me how important it is to stay in Your word, to keep pressing in and learning more so I won’t get lost or stray down the wrong path. Please continue to teach me and bring me deeper in the knowledge of who You are and keep me close to You. Amen.
