The Paths of Righteousness

Psa. 23:3 “he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

The Lord leads us in right paths, but we must then follow. What good is a leader if he has none to follow? He has given us the ability to walk (v.4) but the will to follow is ours. He has led us to the path, but to embark upon the journey is up to us; we must follow the path. The Lord gives us the wisdom to see the end result of both ways, following, and stopping, and He gives us the strength to follow, but ultimately it is up to us to take the initiative. We could not have a better leader, so the fault is not in Him; we cannot say that we have lost our way, for He has brought us along to the paths; we have no valid reason for not following except our own stubborn will, and therefore He is just in judging us. That is the pattern for our entire lives, He leads, and we follow. Never mind where the path goes, just follow; never mind if the way is weary and tried, just follow; His paths are just and true, and always right. Sometimes we take the “scenic route’ while other times the way is long and tedious, and dull, but still we must follow; we must decide to follow, trusting our Leader to know the way, and submitting ourselves to Him.

We walk too in His blessed footsteps, that is what it is to follow. As we see the tracks ahead of us, let us step in the same print that His foot has made, and one by one, walk in the very same footprints. Let us place our feet in the very print His foot has made in the ground; in the fresh white snow; and even in the invisible depths of the sea; wherever He leads, we must follow, for this is the only good path we will find. Yes, as He leads us, He always leads in the paths of righteousness, for with Him there is no other path; though there are many others for us to see and follow, He has but one, and that is the path of Truth. He is the Way for us to follow; the Truth that we mentally seek; and the Life which we ultimately live. Christ is our all, and in all.