Posted by Psalm 16:11 – “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
Over the New Year, we hiked the “Humpridge Track” in Southland, New Zealand. Interestingly, it has just become another one of New Zealand’s Great Walks since then. It was a 3 day hike, roughly 20km per day, and I had wished I had done more walking in the lead up to our adventure! Day 1 had a steep 1000m climb at the end of the day, Day 2 tracked along the tops and down to the ocean, and Day 3 was around the coast back to the beginning. It was so beautiful being on the tops, a place I don’t usually get to as uphill and myself are not friends! The sky was a forever blue, and it was a pleasant temperature. What a great way to start the New Year!
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
I took this photo below early on Day 2 as I followed my youngest son on very pleasing boardwalks through the tops, in alpine scrub. I had a lot of time to muse about the path of life – how this track took us from Beech forest up through to alpine scrub, and back down to beautiful beaches. The climb was hard, the days long but the views were spectacular. The scenery – breathtakingly different each day. It was not easy, but so much better doing it as a family. It would have been terribly hard doing this alone (for me – my husband LOVES time alone hiking)!
God promises to make known to us that path of life. He has promised to fill us with joy walking this path of life in His presence. And he promises eternal pleasures if we track with Him. The path of life might not always be an easy walk in the park, but there will always be beauty to be found. There will always be people with whom we come in contact with that are a blessing, or we can be a blessing to. And when we walk the path of life with eternity in view, it makes it all that much more worth it.
Indeed, Jesus is our ultimate guide on the path of life. As mentioned in John 14:6, Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the one who leads us, shows us the correct direction, and provides us with eternal life. Jesus not only teaches us the right way to live but also exemplifies it through His own life.
“I am the way the truth and the life”
John 14:6
When we choose to walk with Jesus, we align ourselves with His teachings and principles. He leads us in righteousness, love, compassion, and forgiveness. When we walk with Jesus, we experience His divine guidance and receive His abundant blessings.
Just like the hike we embarked on, the path of life may have its challenges and difficult climbs. However, with Jesus by our side, we can overcome obstacles, persevere through trials, and find strength in Him. He assures us that even in the midst of hardships, His joy will fill our hearts as we stay close to Him.
Moreover, walking with Jesus involves keeping our eyes on eternity. When we have a view of eternity in sight, our perspective changes. We recognize that the temporary challenges and pleasures of this world fade in comparison to the eternal rewards that await us. Walking the path of life with an eternal perspective allows us to prioritise the things that matter most and invest in what has eternal significance.
So, let us choose to walk with Jesus each day. Let us follow His lead, seek His presence, and embrace the joy that comes from being in communion with our Creator. May His guidance and the hope of eternity motivate us to live purposefully, love unconditionally, and impact others positively along our journey on the path of life.
Choose to walk with God today.
Choose to walk with the view of eternity in sight.
Choose to walk with the joy that comes from being in the presence of our Creator.
Life by the Word 