Stepping Out

"Never limit your prayers because you think you're undeserving. You're not praying because of who you are, you're praying because of who God is." (@SHETHEROAR)

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:7)

I know I can be guilty of thinking I know perfectly well the course I am supposed to be walking, not even considering God may have a perfectly different and dynamic course for me, launching ahead without much thought. The 'road' we walk is best walked when it is 'revealed by God'. We shouldn't always just amble along through life and hope God will meet us along the way. We might do well to stop, take some time to pray for his wisdom, and then allow him to guide us along the path HE has determined to be the best for today.

Too many times we feel a little like we are 'bothering God' with the small stuff, but have you ever tried to maintain a relationship with someone without the 'small stuff' of conversation? If all you do is talk about the 'deep' or 'hard' stuff, your relationship is kind of scary! We talk with God about everything - the small, deep, and hard stuff - not because we are super-cool, super-righteous, or super-anything. We talk with him about it because of who he is - and believe it or not, who WE are matters to him because we are his chosen, beloved, and grace-filled children.

Steady steps come quicker to those who seek God's direction with those steps - that one just makes sense. So why do we resist asking him to reveal that direction to us? Why are we stubbornly just trudging ahead on our own? It could be we don't feel he should be bothered with the 'small stuff', but it could also be we don't feel 'worthy' of asking. Nothing could be further from the truth - for we are declared to be of the greatest worth. Why else would he give his Son as a sacrifice for our sins? 

As our psalmist shows us, guidance comes to those who don't consider it too much or too hard to take those steps to God BEFORE they take them. We learn the pattern of walking the right path because we take the time to discover it at his feet. There is nothing mystical about prayer - it is just us talking with God like we do each other. While I know some raise lofty prayers, filled with all the 'thee' and 'thou' words, it is not the way I speak with God. I just talk with him like I talk with you. Why? He doesn't need my 'pretty words' - he needs my needy heart expressed in openness and truth. Just sayin!