The Narrow Path

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber; He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
—Psalm 121:2-3

Today I hiked up the steep sides of a red rock mountain in Arizona. When we began to hike and I looked up and saw where we were supposed to go, I did not think I could make it. But armed with water and a trusted companion, I set out on the rocky path that zig-zags around the mountain. Before long, both of us were winded, so we slowed our pace and just kept going, one step at a time.

We hear so much these days about doing things one step at a time, and it is a good way to live. That's what occurred to me as we climbed. We had to watch each step, gauge which rock to step on, and be alert to sharp cactus beside the trail. I found myself lost in the process of climbing, totally focused on the path.

Before long, we reached the halfway mark, and then the going really got rough; the rocks were now boulders, and the pathway dropped precipitously on one side. I understand that the view was breathtaking (I did not look), but as I slowed my steps and fought panic, I started saying, He will not let your foot be moved. It worked. I felt more confident and continued to the mesa above, where the view was indeed fabulous.

He will not let your foot be moved, I said to myself as we started down, which was even scarier than going up. But somehow I believed what I was saying and my body responded.

I wonder: how can I use this experience in my daily grind at home? How can I apply this rough, challenging path to the hard times we all experience? What I learned today is to take it one step at a time, and to always remember that God walks within, behind and before us, enabling us to take steps we never dreamed we could take.

Keep us ever mindful, O God, that you walk with us in all the pathways of our lives. Amen.

Copyright © 2006 Margaret Jones.