The Paths He Smoothes

For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

Isaiah 26:7

EVERY WEEK OF the summer, three hundred excited teenagers poured into the youth camp ready to have the time of their lives. Horses galloped across the pasture; motorbikes buzzed down the road; kids jumped onto huge inflatable rafts floating on the lake or shouted to one another while they practiced their high dives; soccer games filled the fields.

But behind the soccer fields was a sanctuary where these kids could find quiet time—acres of wooded land where creatures danced and the sun played peekaboo through the trees. Best of all, these acres of trees offered winding paths. Originally pounded into the ground by horses’ hooves, the paths were often narrow and filled with debris a walker needed to step around. Sometimes the paths went up small hills that required a little bit of effort to climb.

Perhaps paths like those are reflections of the promise in today’s verse. Realistically, none of us has a perfect path in life. At times we hit the debris of heartache and problems, or the path of trust seems to get narrow. We may even have to pant up a hill. But the challenges we face are endurable, which is nothing compared to how they’d be if the Lord didn’t walk before us.

So get away from the frenetic activity of life and walk quietly with the Lord. Remember his promise to clear the path before you, and enjoy the walk!