Lent

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.

(Psalm 25:4)

I was hiking with my son when we came to a fork in the path. There was no signpost to tell us which path to take for us to get to our destination. While standing there, another hiker came up and asked us where we were going. He immediately said, “Take the left fork. I have been there several times.” Getting clear directions from one who had been there was such a Reassurance.

As we journey through Lent we often come to forks in the path of life. We can stand there perplexed, we can quickly choose and hope we are making the right decision, or we can do what the Psalmist encourages. Pause and pray, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.”

These words make it seem so easy but what they are asking us to do is really hard. We are to pause and ask which way. For may of us our tendency is to quickly choose and then pray that we made the right choice.

It is to acknowledge that we are lost. Without help the risk of getting off track is high. It is knowing deep down that we need help. We don’t like those feelings of powerlessness but they are a part of life.

When we pray, make me to know your ways we find we are not alone, God is with us, guiding us, keeping us on the right track. Just like my son and I experienced when we open our hearts to God’s direction we will hear in some form, “Take this path, it is the right way, I know I have been there many times.”

Prayer

Loving God, we sometimes get off the path because of our pride and self-will. Forgive us. Teach us your paths and open our hearts to hear your guidance. AMEN.

Today’s devotional was written by Rev. Bill Green, and read by Owen Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.