Prone to Wander
“He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
Psalm 23:3
A life that pleases the Lord is never a smooth road. Today’s Scripture tells us that our Shepherd guides us along the right paths—paths of righteousness. That is true, but sadly, we often shake off His guiding hand. His path might interest us for a while, but then we allow sin to beckon us down a detour.
The old hymn writer wrote, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”* It’s true, isn’t it? We are so prone to wander—so inclined to leave His path and run away from His lordship. But how gracious and patient He is with us! The psalmist David wrote, “He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14).
God is the One who forgives our sin time after time and makes available His grace that redeems every wayward attitude and action. He will hear our confession and will guide us back on his “right paths.”
Lord God, You know me so well. I’m a sheep that keeps wandering away from the Good Shepherd, putting myself in danger and ending up in desolate places. Forgive me for taking detours from Your path for my life. Please help me not to wander! I want to be the sheep that follows closest to Your heels.
*Robert Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (1757).
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