THE FAITHFUL TRAIL

On the faithful trail, I’ll go,

where the ferns are thick and greening,

and the undergrowth goes up and down,

and the trees are sometimes leaning.

But on the trail, I’ll follow,

as I pass beneath the basswoods,

as I walk along the touch-me-nots,

and a patch of tangled dogwoods.

I’ll trust when at the gully,

where the woods are dark and deepest,

and I’ll cross along the cherry tree,

where the bank is all the steepest.

At trail’s end, I’ll have rest

in a special, hidden clearing—

in the grass, I’ll watch the passing clouds,

and the warblers I’ll be hearing.

 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

   

 

THE FAITHFUL TRAIL

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Hebrews 10:35

Confidence in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, brings great reward. Years ago during Passover, Jesus willingly went to the cross for us. He bore our sin upon the tree. How awesome to have sins passed over! Forgiven!

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Philippians 3:18-19

As we travel along life’s often gnarly path—like in the deep woods—we encounter enemies of the cross. The cross is foolishness to faith-lacking people whose minds are fixed on earthly things. They feed their appetites and advocate for their immoral acts to be accepted and justified. And faithless people don’t believe in prayer.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

I trust you know to live a life trusting God and that you believe in prayer. Pray for help when circumstances try to derail you off the trail. Call upon God when hurts send us into the tangled underbrush. God, the Heart Reader, knows the heart asking for guidance. He rewards those who seek Him. Like the Magi, wise men and women still seek Him today in this generation.

And find Him!

Seek and ye shall find.

Think on more than just earthly things. Think on heavenly things. One way to display a mind thoughtful of heavenly things is to honor the Sabbath. Instead of mowing the lawn or scheduling a bike ride with friends on Sunday morning, make an effort to attend church or keep attending if you already do. Make the attempt to honor the Sabbath instead of attending sports practices and games, or a dance recital. Are school districts scheduling sports events on Sunday mornings? Pray that our tax dollars are not being used to show a lack of respect for the Sabbath, and that God would raise up people in education to support honoring the Sabbath. Remember Eric Liddell in the Chariots of Fire movie? He refused to take part in an Olympic race because the event was held on a Sunday. Part of being on the faithful trail is honoring the Sabbath.

Dare to honor! Dare to make a stand!

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Luke 1:45

Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew God rewards. She knew the humble are exalted and the proud are brought down. I’m sure she who saw an angel strove to honor our Creator by putting going to church above household duties. I’m sure she who bore and gave birth to the Son of God tried to obey the command to honor the Sabbath before gratifying her own personal interests and gains. Her soul praised God as she humbly served the Mighty One and became blessed of all women.

And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Luke 23:56

And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Luke 2:38

Anna of Asher, an old widow and prophetess, spent a lot of time in the temple praying and waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. There were probably people in her day that did not go to the temple, but I don’t think Anna followed along with them. Just because some people don’t go to church doesn’t mean that not going is acceptable. Don’t jump on the band wagon! We humans tend to be jump-on-the-band-wagon type of creations. Resist! Now is the time to be the salt of the earth for our generation if we truly call ourselves Christ-followers. After many years, baby Jesus was brought to Anna. She was rewarded in her day for her choice, and yet to come.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

May we keep walking the faithful trail. Events will come and go, but the things of God are eternal. Live to be rewarded by Him who rewards. 

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:18

And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Revelation 14:19

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

He who created has all authority in and over what He created. If a person cannot believe the first sentence of the Bible, then he or she, most likely, cannot believe much else.

The Bible declares over and over again that judgment is coming. God will have His vengeance. The Creator will judge all hearts and deeds. Only those whose ‘lawyer’ is Jesus—the only One who can save—will survive against merciless wrath.

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Psalm 31:19 

May we set our sights on our Creator’s promises as we walk along the faithful trail, thanking God every day—and especially on the Sabbath—for His goodness.