Running In His Path
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Every morning I get up, make a cup of coffee, and walk down the road to the church where I sit to write the devotional for the day or spend time with Jesus. Along the way, I have a few moments to prepare myself for the day. Sometimes I am not ready to be spiritual. The coffee hasn’t kicked in, and I’m still getting going.
I’m learning to start intentionally speaking life and gratitude over my morning. I’ve struggled with anxiety in the mornings, so getting started can be a challenge. This morning I was thinking about this verse from Psalms 119:32 (NIV) that says, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.”
I’m learning that we have an invitation to get so deep into God’s commands that we have the freedom to run and move with authority. David shows us that freedom can come from broadened understanding. Can you picture the agility, skill, and strength that David felt running this spiritual course under the banner of God’s understanding?
You may have heard this verse before from Matthew 7:14 (NIV), where Jesus says, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Clearly, the way of righteousness is not the open highway, but that doesn’t mean that our path will be slow-going. What if Jesus was talking about the singularity of the way to eternal life? By saying this, Jesus might just be saying what he has said in other places, “There is only one way: through me.”
In John 15:10 (NIV), Jesus says, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” Running in God’s commands is primarily about abiding in God’s love. The two go hand in hand. As we discover more of God’s love, we understand the power of his commands. As we understand the power of God’s commands, we recognize the depths of God’s love. So on, and so forth, we grow in our connection to God and our measure of holiness.
We all desire to have that freedom that David writes of in Psalm 119. We want the chance to run in the path God has set before us. I know that I desire this freedom. I want to encourage you that there is no better way to step into this freedom than leaning into God’s presence and the truth of his word.
We need both! We are not just focused on spirituality or mysticism. This is not a pursuit of good vibes or peaceful feelings. There will be encounters, visions, experiences, feelings, and revelations, but we are after sustained freedom in Christ. Seeking God through his word, learning to obey his voice, and surrendering our lives daily are central pieces of abiding.
God help me to surrender to your wisdom and your commands. I long to run faster and stronger in the path of your commands. Would you broaden my understanding today as I seek you? Point me in the right direction to scripture verses, resources, teachings, and more that help me grow in you. Most of all, would you meet me here in this moment? I am depending on your abiding spirit to lead me into greater freedom.
Amen.
