by Pastor Douglas Brauner

The Joy of Walking on God’s Path

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11 English Standard Version

Because of back issues, I have tried to keep to a regime of walking, stretching, and a little bit of weightlifting. On one of my hikes, I saw this older man walking. It was a beautiful, warm afternoon in Salida, Colorado, the trail glowing with fall colors. He walked methodically and purposefully, pausing every so often before moving on.

We both walked on a well-worn path. It was obvious where we had been and where we were going. We walked at different paces, but we walked to the same destination.

In the first verse of Psalm 16, the psalmist pleads with God to preserver him, but he does not explain how he needs God’s help. The rest of the psalm extols God for his guidance in his life ending with the verse quoted above. The psalmist acknowledges that God has revealed to him the path of life, the path that both is life and gives life. The psalmist didn’t make up this path or choose it. It was a gift of grace given him by God.

On this path of life there is abundant joy. The psalmist uses the plural form of the Hebrew word for joy, only one of two places where it appears in the plural, stressing the overflowing nature of joy as we walk hand in hand with God on HIS path of life. God has made know to you his path of life, a path that leads to Jesus cross and his body-less grave. It is a path filled with grace and forgiveness, with joy and comfort. It is his path which we walk.

We might be walking at different paces on this path, seeing different things. But be assured, God’s path of life leads to the same place.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado