“Thank you, LORD, for the missions you’ve given us and the skills to accomplish them, please show us and guide us on your path.” 

Every day, Keith and I pray before we eat our main meal, prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication: ACTS, to keep us on His path. The way, the track He has laid down, the course or direction He wants us to follow, the actions and conduct that would please Him. Sometimes the path is difficult to discern. More likely, we selfishly prefer to go our own way, say “I don’t want that!”

No, not that path!

In the Bible, we often read of people taking matters into their own hands because they want “this” and not “that.” Abraham and Sarah come to mind, Moses, Saul, David, Solomon, and the prophet Jonah. God forgave but did not release them from consequences. Loss of beloved son Ishmael, loss of opportunity to enter the Promised Land, loss of a kingdom, death of a son, loss of faith, loss of shipmates’ confidence and almost loss of life.

In the New Testament, we also see consequences for wanting “our this” and not “God’s that.” Think of the story of Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. They had pledged funds to the church from the sale of property but secretly held back some of the money. It was not their selfishness that got them into deep trouble but lying.

“You have not lied just to human beings but to God,” the apostle Peter said to Ananias. Upon hearing the truth, Ananias and Sapphira fell down, one after the other, and died. Although all of us will face judgment, sometimes justice is immediate.

Ponder the path

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:26 ESV

“Here is something to ponder for your contemplative walk,” I said to the women during our retreat eight years ago, a meditation based on a Richard Rohr reflection:

Being in a hurry or impatient for some particular outcome creates sensations in our bodies. Notice what this impatience feels like, where it shows up—your jaw, neck, chest, hands, or gut. Be present to the feeling. Then slowly expand your awareness to include what your senses are taking in from the outside world.

While you walk, see, hear, smell, and touch. Touch the living earth with your bare hands. Feel the breeze and listen to the birds. Be present to this moment. Celebrate the beauty and mystery of our universe. Give thanks for the abundance of air, water, food, and shelter we receive every day. 

Praise the Creator. Let the reality of both your impatience and the outer reality be as they are, without attaching to them. It is what it is. And all is grace.

Show me your path

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

Seven years ago, we hired a landscape crew to create a path along the ravine to a rock overlook. At the time, I was forging a new path, too, flying to Grand Rapids to attend the Festival of Faith and Writing. It was a new experience for me, and I was both excited and nervous. Uneasy about traveling alone, knowing no one, following a new career path as a writer.

The years that followed brought many more opportunities for prayer and another trail, this one behind the house. And every time I walk it, I pray, “Please show me and guide me on Your path.”

Linkup with Five Minute Friday.