Psalm 23:2-3 – He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (NIV)

The sun was shining, and the day beckoned me to get outside. I decided to take our dog for a walk along the walking trails that run through our town and along the river. One minute he ran ahead, then he lagged behind and generally bounced along, sniffing at every tree and bush, and wagging his tail to express his enthusiasm. At one point he left me, and, although he never shared the adventure that he had while out of my sight, the evidence I discovered later in his burdock-laden fur was enough to tell me that he'd strayed from the groomed path.

God has invited us to walk with Him on our journey through life. But sometimes, in our enthusiasm, we run ahead of His plans for us, while at other times we lag behind, not walking on the path that He has prepared. But what grieves His heart the most is the times that we stray from the path altogether. When this happens, we allow our lives to become soiled from our wanderings, and, when we return to God, we often bear the evidence of our sojourns.

If we stray, God is waiting for us to come back to the path that He has prepared for us. When we surrender to Him, He will not only clean up our lives, but He will lead us beside quiet waters, and allow us to rest in green pastures in order to restore our soul.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to surrender to Your leading so that we may find rest for our souls. Amen.

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About the author:

Elaine Ingalls Hogg <authorhogg@yahoo.ca>
Smiths Creek, New Brunswick, Canada
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