Meandering....

I always thought following Christ would be something like a highway in western Kansas or the panhandle of Oklahoma.  Going in the same direction as far as you can see with very clear boundaries.  It IS called the 'straight & narrow path' right?  And yet - that is not the testimony of my life.  No, there have tended to be curves that seemed to send my life into another direction.  Instead of a highway through the plains, it looks more like the wandering paths in the hills near our North Carolina home.  Many times you can't see around the bend for all of the foliage.  Sometimes you come upon a beautiful serene spot.   Other times, the fun of a long forgotten rope swing.  Sometimes the path leads you across a babbling brook, or a fallen tree.  And yet - we view the trek as beautiful - maybe even energizing.  We meander & breathe deeply of the scents of the forest, letting our eyes focus on the beauty and majesty of it all.

So, why is it that we don't approach our walk with the LORD in the same way?  Is it that I don't trust Him who directs my paths?  If I am in the woods, and the path I have taken is too difficult, I can always turn around.  but the path of life does not give us that indulgence.  We follow HIM.  We pass by the things of HIS choosing - climb the mountains and ford the streams along the way.   In reality, the path is not turning.  Perhaps we start looking at the obstacles along the way too much instead of keeping our sights on Him.  Perhaps if we keep our eyes on Him, instead of those obstacles, we will begin to see the obstacles as points of grace & beauty. 

Do we trust Him to get us from point A to point B?   I mean - we do know the final destination right?  Can we enjoy the sights along the way?  Can we meander?  According to Merriam-Websters, meander means:

to follow a winding or intricate course, to wander aimlessly or casually without urgent destination

and while I don't believe we should live life in an aimless manner, so many times we fail to see the beautiful sights along the way because of our 'urgent destination'.  For me, that so often includes getting my to do list done, making dinner, on & on.  And in truth, those things are NOT my destination at all.  Instead, I am disciplining myself to wander with the Lord following the course He sets before me & letting my agenda go. 

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.
Psalm 25:3-5