Teach Me Your Paths

When I was growing up, my family would often go to Crested Butte, Colorado in the summertime for vacation. It’s such a beautiful place to enjoy the wonders of God’s creation. One of our favorite activities was hiking the mountain. Instead of hiking up the mountain, we chose an easier plan of riding the chair lift up the mountain and then hiking down. This was probably a good idea for fairly inexperienced hikers. There was a gravel path down with more switchbacks than I could count. As a child, I didn’t understand why it was necessary to make so many trips back and forth. I thought it would take forever! It did take patience, but those switchbacks were there because you can’t hike straight down. As a young hiker, I had to learn the path and trust those who were with me to lead.

In Psalm 25, David writes:
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
(Psalm 25:4-5, ESV)

I am amazed at David’s humility as king and leader over Israel. It was David’s desire to know the ways of the Lord and be taught by Him. We can know that God’s way for us is good and right. We may not appreciate all the switchbacks in our path, but we can trust how God leads us. His ways are true. He is the God of our salvation. There is forgiveness of sin because of His way for us in Jesus. Without Him, there would be no hope in us navigating our path down the mountain alone. We must have patience and wait on the Lord. It is so tempting for each of us to do our own thing and not follow as He leads. I pray that as we live our lives, we would know God’s ways, follow His path, and wait on Him.