(“In all your ways acknowledge [God] and he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:6, NIV)
M-m-m. God will make my paths straight? Sounds as if he is promising a life of ease on a flat, straight course. Smooth transitions from Point A to Point B.
But I know God doesn’t work that way. Life on Easy Street can result in laziness and worthlessness.
In checking other translations of the Bible, I discovered fresh insights for this familiar verse.
Berkeley says, “He will direct your paths.”
The Douay-Rheims Bible presents a nuance of difference: “He will direct thy steps.”
New Living Translation, “He will show you what path to take.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible, “He will guide you on the right paths.”
And my personal favorite: “He’s the one who will keep you on track” – The Message.
I wonder if I could compose my own amplified version, combining all these translations? Something like: “He will direct my steps along the path that he knows is right and keep me on track.”
How glorious that our Heavenly Father cares enough to guide us so attentively. What a relief to know…
…we can trust the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. After all, God made us. He can be trusted to choose just the right path for each of us. “He will teach [us] his ways, so that [we] may walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3).
…we don’t have to direct our own steps. In fact, “It is not for man to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). How wonderful to depend on God, who can see into the future. We certainly can’t!
…He won’t just set us off in the right direction, then leave us to our own devices. He will remain by our side, providing guidance all along the way. Our God is all-wise; we are not.
I’m remembering a visit to the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. In back of the large home is a labyrinth of boxwood bushes, replicating the maze that was first constructed there hundreds of years ago. Children and adults alike find it hard to resist the challenge, including me.
Oh, my. With my lousy sense of direction, I became hopelessly lost. Every time I thought the next corner would be the way out, a wall of greenery would greet me. What I needed was somebody with a bird’s-eye view of the path who could tell me which way to turn.
That’s exactly what we have in our Heavenly Father.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21).
And we’re talking about much more important matters than a labyrinth of bushes! We’re talking about:
- Day-to-day choices that form our character
- Decisions that impact our influence upon those around us
- Selections of what church to attend, what friendships to cultivate, what activities to pursue, and more
- Guidance for those unexpected twists and turns of life
In all these ways, “He will direct our steps along the path that he knows is right and keep us on track.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Oh, Lord, help me to look up toward you—often! I want to walk the right path you have chosen for me, with confidence and strength, because I am trusting in you. May I turn my thoughts to you and your Word continually—so I can receive frequent instruction. And thank you for walking with me, offering support and encouragement, every step of the way. “Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143:8b).
(Photo credits: www.rockchurchofindia.org; http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.photochelter.com.)
From the Inside Out 