Daily devotional, August 16, 2024
Asphalt
"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway."
Proverbs 15:19
There is something oddly satisfying about driving over a newly-asphalted road. To a young me, the clinging of newly-laid asphalt underneath the body of a moving car seemed like popping popcorns! But as in anything in life, there is always more to a newly paved road than meets the eye. It brings convenience and driving comfort to a vehicle owner who is weary about driving through potholes. It brings about safety too for both the motorists and the pedestrians accessing that particular roadway.
Our Heavenly Father is such a loving and gracious God that He leads to leveled paths those who are trying their best to follow Him.
"With weeping they will come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”
Jeremiah 31:9
When we endeavor to follow Christ, our Lord and Savior sees through the eagerness of our hearts. He sees our aim to be righteous, and so He powers us through our struggles with sin. He then helps us to not stumble by putting us in a leveled path.
"I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble."
Proverbs 4:11-12
So how does God practically put us, present-day followers in a leveled path? He gave us His words through the Bible. When we use God’s teachings and commands as our moral compass, we will only not get into leveled paths, we too will not lose our way.
"The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level. Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls."
Isaiah 26:7-8
With this we must ensure that we are not just familiar with God’s teachings, but that we meditate on them and apply them in our own daily lives. And should our faith journey lead us to a rocky path, His words will surely help us keep our balance.
As Christians, we are to meet these perilous routes because God never promised a perfectly paved road for us to take each time.Our journey in following Jesus will inevitably lead us to some of these unfavorable paths, either because we fall into sin, or because God is developing our character. Either way, our merciful Lord will always be there to help us endure, if only we will let Him.
"He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:29-31
When we find ourselves in an ultra-narrow pathway or a dangerous terrain, we ought to follow King David’s lead as He continued to call on for God’s help and mercy amid dire situations.
In Psalm 18, King David said that the Lord made His feet like the feet of a deer. Scholars explain that more than the swiftness of a deer’s feet, David was thanking God for giving him the ability to be like a deer who can steady itself even at the edge of a ravine.
"It is God who arms me with strength, and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights." Psalm 18:32-33
Such ability to endure challenges is what God also promises to us, His present day followers. When we focus our eyes on Jesus, we will still get to follow Him and walk in His ways no matter the condition of the road we are traversing. Indeed, it is our willingness to keep on journeying with Him that will lead us to the finish line — where we will receive the imperishable crown of eternal life.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 18:20-36 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you on a leveled path that God wants you to traverse? If yes how do you intend to continue in the same way, if not, will you heed God’s call to use His words to maneuver you to leveled pathways?
Conversation with the Lord: _ Heavenly Father, thank you for helping me stay on a leveled pathway, by giving me the opportunity to study your word and apply it in my life. Help me remain faithful to you, so that I will not lose my way, and continue striving towards receiving the imperishable crown of righteousness. Amen.
