A Clear Path

You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
- Psalm 16:11
 
Imagine a well-maintained path through the woods. The path may have twists and turns, rises and runs, shady spots and sunny patches. The path will also have boundaries.
 
A good path will have a clear distinction between what’s the path and what’s not the path. You don’t need a path to go for a walk in the woods, but it sure does help if you care about reaching your destination easily.
 
We can sometimes think of boundaries as things that hem us in and keep us from straying. And there’s truth in that portrayal. But today’s passage reminds us that healthy boundaries also help us on our journey with God. Boundaries define our path forward.
 
The boundaries God gives you create a life-giving way forward into a life full of pleasure and joy. As Alex often says: “God’s ‘No’ is always in service of a larger ‘Yes’.” God wants you to experience good things; that’s why he shows you the path he wants you to take.
 
Don’t buy into the mythology that says that all restriction and all trailblazing leads you into a trap. Certain limits on our freedom opens us up to new and better freedoms. The guardrail that keeps you on the path helps you reach the mountain vista instead of the cliff’s bottom.
 
We say this knowing full-well that this principle can be “twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools.” Bullies, manipulators, and dictators parrot this line about sacrificing one freedom to gain others. Much of Steve’s family came to this country to escape the brutality that’s unleashed when this “freedom principle” is abused.
 
But the potential of abuse only causes us to re-affirm the importance of relationship: the Lord is the one who makes known to us the paths of life. Just as you shouldn’t give your bank account information to a random caller, you shouldn’t surrender your freedoms to a random asker. The Lord who we know and love is the one who we can trust to lead us forward.
 
In what ways have the Lord’s restrictions helped you find the path of life? Where have you experienced joy and pleasure on your journey with God?

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