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by richardlfloyd
“My steps have held
fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” — Psalm 17: 5
I have belonged to a hiking group for nearly 20 years.
We pad around the Berkshire Hills year round, wearing cleats on
our boots or snowshoes during the long icy winter.
Many of the various trails are well marked, but sometimes one of
us will go astray and have to blow a whistle to be searched for and found by
the group.
A couple of years ago my hiking buddy John and I climbed a
mountain for what was supposed to be a three-hour hike.
But on the way down we missed a blaze and eventually ended up on
the other side of the mountain.
After six hours we got back to our car.
Fortunately, it was an early October day, with clear skies and
70 degrees, and we had a bag of trail mix and enough water.
No harm was done except to our pride.
That hike came to mind today when I read Psalm 17, which is a
prayer of deliverance from persecution.
The Psalmist, let’s call him David, defends himself before God
by testifying that he has walked God’s proper path throughout his life and “stayed
on the trail” of righteousness.
Such a journey has twists and turns, obstacles to overcome, and
choices to make that will determine one’s destination.
It also requires that we pay attention so that we don’t miss the
right path.
Prayer: Lead, us O God, along your sure paths. We pray in the
name of Jesus, the one who called himself the Way.
richardlfloyd
I am
an ordained minister, author, writer and blogger, living on the edge of a marsh
(see header pic) in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts with my wife
Martha.
I
am Pastor Emeritus of First Church of Christ in Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
where I served for 22 years. Before that I served congregations in Maine and
was a seminary chaplain.
“When
I Survey . . .” contains some of my ruminations on a variety of topics,
including, but not limited to, theology, pastoral ministry, the church,
ecumenism, cooking, food and wine, the arts, books, films, music, poetry,
politics, traumatic brain injury, New England Sports teams, memories, and the
occasional rant.
I
have also archived here many of my published and unpublished essays, book
reviews, hymns, devotions, special-occasion sermons, papers and addresses from
my four decades as a pastor-theologian. Glad you found me. Take a look around
and come back anytime.
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