"Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm."
Some of you may be wondering why would she be talking about running on this blog, am I right? I must say when God began speaking to my heart and used the word running, that's exactly what I wanted to do...run the other way. I often joke with my friends that the only way I will ever run is to have someone chase me because I simply don't run. I would think after time I would realize that I should never say I won't do any one particular thing because often it ends up being the thing I do. No I'm not physically running (just yet) but I've been running most of my life.
The scripture reference I've used starts by saying "Let your eyes look straight ahead...", I don't know how many times that's exactly what I haven't done. I allow my "sight" to go anywhere but straight ahead and I panic. I begin to question, God why are you leading me down this path? This isn't possible, I can't do this or you've got the wrong person this time, sorry God. And what do I do.... I go running down a wrong path and lead myself right into a mess or feeling completely out of breath because I just wasted my energy running from what God has called me to do. More often than not, I end up turning around and taking the word to heart and begin to look straight ahead on the path God laid out before me. when will I ever learn? I'm hoping soon because as I wrote earlier, I don't like to run.
The last part of this scripture states, "...and take only ways that are firm." We have a strong foundation in Christ, all other grounds are but sinking sands. Have you ever tried to physically run on the loose sands of a beach or perhaps you've gone one challenge further and have tried to run or maybe just walk through sand dunes? It makes the journey quite a bit harder, doesn't it? I remember a trip I took many years ago to some dunes in Colorado. It was windy, the dunes were pretty high and the sands were HOT. I thought it would be easier to get through them if I took my shoes off as my shoes kept sinking but as soon as I took my shoes off I realized that the sands were going to burn my feet. It was not a fun time, the dunes were beautiful against the clear brilliant blue sky but I felt stuck as I had journeyed just far enough that it was going to be a difficult path to take in any direction. How many of us have done just that, started down that path running, jogging, walking towards the destination God has called us to only to find that we get bogged down in the middle of it, sinking in our lack of faith and trust that He will see us through. The journey isn't always the easiest but if we stay on Christ's firm foundation we will finish the race to hear well done good and faithful servant. I know that's my goal at the end of this life, to hear my Savior tell me those words.
I can imagine my Jesus opening his arms, the sun shining brightly around him as he begins to run towards me and I towards him in that last few moments of the race and feeling His embrace and Him telling me you ran a good race child, welcome home.
What are you doing today? Are you running a good race or are you running away trying to avoid some of the tougher roads? Are you keeping your gaze fixed directly in front of you, keeping the path level and staying on firm ground or are you getting lost in all the sparkle and glitter of the world around you that wants to draw you into the sinking sands of the dunes?
"Turn your eyes toward Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace."
Blessings,
Heather
