To follow God’s directions requires perseverance and a consistently upward gaze (see Heb 12:1-3, Col 3:1-3). We may feel confused because we cannot see the ‘finish’ line from where we are and are uncertain as to the path we should take. We need to be confident that God is perfectly capable of closing doors that we shouldn’t go through and opening doors for us that lead to new things. (Rev 3:7) As long as we fix our eyes on Jesus, He will lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Ps 23:3) He is able to ‘barricade the road that goes Nowhere’ (Ps 119:29, The Message) and lead us towards our ultimate destination, for Jesus is not only our destination, but is also the way we reach God (John 14:6) Psalm 119 talks a lot about God’s laws and His word and shows us that the best way to find God’s direction and signposts for our lives is by really getting to know His Word.
If we want to live a clean life, a pure life, if we want to walk according to God’s will and have a safe journey, we do this by carefully reading the map of God’s Word and following its instructions. We have to be single-minded in pursuit of God, following Him with all our hearts. Part of knowing how to follow God’s ways is asking God to give us insight and to teach us. We need God’s direction; we need to know what He wants us to do and we find those commands and insights in the Bible. It’s not just about knowing what God tells us to do, however. We have to do what He says. Our lives have to be ‘one long obedient response.’
Journeying at night is always more troublesome than during the day, so we need God to shed light on our paths (Ps 119:105) so we can clearly see the pitfalls the world places before us (temptations to despair or reliance on feelings, wealth, and so on which all act as detours away from God.) Whatever our feelings, let’s be sure that God walks with us on this journey. He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5) and always guides us and directs us as we trust in Him. (Prov 3:5-6)
God will give us the guidance and protection we need: guidance from His Word and from His Spirit, making truth come alive for us and speaking peace into our hearts. He will walk alongside us, just as Jesus walked alongside those disciples on the road to Emmaus, giving us the joy of His presence and the comfort only He can bring. His directions and signposts will lead us onto right paths and when we need special directions, He will speak to us, as Isaiah reminded the people: ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”’ (Is 30:21) Our part is to immerse ourselves in this guide book, the Bible, and give God our obedience, not acting as tourists who are only in this journey for the short haul, but learning to be Jesus’s disciples and pilgrims, constantly ‘looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God’, as Abraham did (Heb 11:10) and pressing on always towards God. (Phil 3:12-14)