The Path of Life

 By: Joanne Viola

The words have stayed opened on my desk for a few days.

“You will make known to me the path of life; 
In Your presence is fullness of joy; 
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” 
(Psalm 16:11, NASB) 

It may seem silly but I begin to dissect, taking notice of the verb tenses. The psalmist tells us God will make known the path of life (future tense). However, in His presence there is fullness of joy (present tense) and there are pleasures forever (both present and in the future).

God makes His path of life known to us through His Word, and so, let’s return to basics – The Ten Commandments:

1. No other gods. God desires our undivided heart, love, and loyalty. Will we continue to worship and follow Him faithfully?
2. Do not bow down or serve carved images. We are not to worship or serve other images of God. Idols diminish the truth of Who God is, and His place in our lives.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain. It is not enough just to refrain from throwing His Name around in a casual way, we must keep it sacred and respected so the world recognizes it is a Name to be remembered and revered.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day. We need rest. In resting, we acknowledge and remember we have been created with limits by a God who knows no limits.
5. Honor your father and mother. This is a command we hear often when we are children and yet, it’s aim is towards adults. This is a command to remember in interacting with all elders. May we not view the elderly as expendable, or to be dismissed.
6. You shall not murder. This command challenges us to more than not taking a life. We need to protect life and esteem the life in others.
7. You shall not commit adultery. This command reminds marriage is to be permanent. It should also remind us of the purpose of marriage – it is a reflection of the relationship Christ has with the Church.
8. You shall not steal. Jesus introduces the enemy as the one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). But Jesus comes to give us life and abundance. As His followers, we are called to be generous givers.
9. You shall not bear false witness. This command demands honesty in our interactions with others. May we choose our words carefully and wisely.
10. You shall not covet. Covetousness begins and hides in the heart. We want what we want because we think we are entitled, or deserving. Covetousness binds us to constantly thinking of ourselves instead of others.  Paul, in his words to the Philippians, reminds us to be content with what we have (Philippians 4:10-13).

We need to remember these words – these ten commands –
given to show us how to live rightly with God and with others.
They put us on the right path – the path of life.

 

Reflection: 
How. have you seen God’s Word set you on the path of life?

 

Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash