Though we sometimes make a mess of our walk with Christ, the heart of the true believer is to follow after Him. Jesus was very clear when He said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23, ESV). Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is very easy to lose sight of the path we should be walking in. Truth be known, at times it seems there are so many paths before us that if the child of God isn’t careful, we can easily choose any number of them that lead us away from the “expected end” God promises for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). There is only one acceptable way, and that is the way of Christ.
As I reflected on Jesus’ words, I was reminded of the Psalmist’s prayer, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me” (Psalm 25:5–6a, KJV). On this portion of the Scriptures, Bible scholar Matthew Henry writes, “(1.) In doubtful cases, we should pray earnestly that God would make it plain to us what He would have us to do. (2.) That He would incline His will to do it, and strengthen Him in it: ‘Lead me, and so teach me.’ Not only as we lead one that is dimsighted, to keep him from missing his way, but as we lead one that is sick, and feeble, and faint, to help him forward in the way and to keep him from fainting and falling. We go no further in the way to heaven than God is pleased to lead us and to hold us up.”
True discipleship requires that every believer seek God’s ways and His truths, and the best way to do that is to ask Him, “Lord, teach me thy paths.” For every step we take and every decision we must make, we need His guidance. Not only does He care about us, but He cares about everything that pertains to us. John Milton was right when he said, “Who brought me hither [here] will bring me hence [there]; no other guide I seek.”
One of the prayer songs that has been a big part of my life has the words: “I want God’s way to be my way as I journey here below / For there is no other highway that a child of God should go / Though the way seems long and rough, if He leads me, it is enough / I want God’s way to be my way every day.” Won’t you join me in that prayer?
