Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:3-9 ESV).
Let me return to yesterday’s story of being lost in the woods with Kyle. What id didn’t mention was how it was getting darker the more we hiked to the road, which I just hoped I knew was there. The piney woods of Davy Crockett National Park are very thick. Sometimes I would merely stop and try to gauge the direction by looking for the sun setting. I knew I needed to go north, however, the longer we walked the more Kyle began to question me, “Are we lost Dad?” Well, we were, but I sure didn’t want to tell him that! It would only scare him and then I’d have two problems on my hands. Ultimately, he asked the most important question: “Dad, are we going to get home?” I know some of you are asking why I didn’t just call someone on my cell phone? Remember, this is 1978. There are no cell phones.
Our reading today gives us some insight into how we can trust the Lord in our journey, even when it seems we have lost the way. He says we are to “fret not.” I find that the most difficult part of trusting in God. Yet, when I practice the act of “delighting myself in the Lord” it comes much easier. And there is the added bonus of being able to enjoy the sights along the way. There are so many times that I lose sight of the things God puts along the way in my life journey simply because I am concentrating on seeing the end of the journey.
I don’t need to know the destination or the way there when I know the One who is taking me there (cf. John 14:1-6). Jesus came from there and returned there. He has promised to get me there safely. He will not fail in His promise. Whatever you are going through today, trust that He will get you home safely. You may get nicked up along the way, but you will not be abandoned or forgotten. He knows the way because He is The Way!