Paths

Psalm 121:7-8
The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

As much as I wish with all that I am that this verse was true all around, I have to come face-to-face with the fact that it is not. I have really been trying to look at Old Testament concepts and see them as spiritual concepts rather than physical, especially as a New Testament believer. It would be easy to see the promises that were physical for the Israelites, and believe them to be physical for me as well, but that is not necessarily true. And I desire to know what is true, not what I desire to be true.

This is one of those verses that would be easy to interpret as a promise encompassing all of life. Again, in some cases it may be true, however I know that many times it is the physical and emotional pain that causes the most growth in us. Yet, I do believe that God will keep us from all spiritual harm. OK, at this point I have to stop and wonder “what does that mean?”

I look at this passage and am reassured that no matter the situation, no matter the temptation, God will always offer us a path that is firm and free from slips and stumbles. He presents this path to us at every turn, every fork in the road. Now, whether we choose that path is another dilemma completely. However, the path is there for the traversing, should we choose it. And this path will keep us from stumbling, from sin, from spiritual harm.

God is watching over us. Not only does He watch over our physical “coming and going,” but I believe that He also watches over our spiritual “coming and going.” He sees us when we wane, when our hearts are far from Him, and our flame is barely even a spark. He sees us then, and He watches over us just as intently as when we are passionate and abandoned to Him. He watches over us with the eyes of a Father, a Lover, a Friend. Whether He feels near or far to us, whether we are aware of His presence or not, He is there, guiding us, watching us, and presenting us with the best possible path in our current circumstances.

Which path will you choose today?