Wilderness Path

The Bible has a lot to say about “paths” or pathways, especially in the Psalms and Proverbs.

In our vernacular, we might call them “trails.” In the Psalm of David 17:5, the ancient king writes, “My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” In Psalm 119, the same author wrote, “… and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.” In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon exhorts his son, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked…” and also reminds him that “A man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths.” 

In our over 40 years of hiking the deserts and the mountains, we have encountered all kinds of paths. Some have been well-maintained and we made our way easily to our destination. Some have been vague and difficult to follow, leading through talus, dense forests or boulder fields. Some have been man-made. Others created by wildlife. Some have misled us. Some have revealed great things to behold like majestic mountain scenes while others have taken us into the bowels of the earth and impossibly tight constrictions. Some have taken us across beautiful flowering meadows. Others have led us to near torment & injury.

In all our explorations, there’s one thing we have learned. If you just stick with it and have a little faith, even when the path seems to have disappeared, a way will open up. This photo shows an easy, well-maintained path in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Struck by the beauty of this wilderness pathway, I quickly snapped a photo as my wife walked ahead. The winding but clear path working around the boulders with the lush growth of the forest was such a pleasing sight, but more importantly, a reminder that “in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Photo taken 07/2016