Category: Bible (Page 57 of 357)

My wife and I decided to take an alternate route on the second to the last day of our Camino journey in Spain. A less-traveled path promised unmatched views of the ocean and lots of time alone. But no one warned us about the nettles.

The trail indeed proved gorgeous, winding above the ocean and offering breathtaking views. But thick gorse bushes and nettles lined much of the narrow track. Planning for a hot day I wore shorts, which provided no help as I plunged through the briars. I eventually completed the hike and now have the scars to prove it.

Life often proves nettle-some (annoying or difficult). Even with diligence, we cannot avoid every bramble in our path. But worse are the thorns that sprout due to our inattention. In Proverbs we read:

I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere (Proverbs 24:30-31). The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway (Proverbs 15:19).

I experience plenty of nettlesome situations without creating any more of my own. When I ignore the sound teachings of Scripture I choose the way of a sluggard—a lazy fool.

Tonight my ransacked legs are reminding me of the pain found in briars and nettles. Tomorrow I’ll choose a broader path and avoid them altogether. Which is often a good idea for life as well.

Camino de Santiago 2024

Photo: My leg after a dance with the nettles

We all need help finding our way in life. The Camino de Santiago winds through 500 miles of forests and fields, city streets and back alleys. How do people avoid getting lost?

Years ago someone decided to place signs all along the route. So many now exist that it’s truly hard to lose your way. At every intersection and fork in the road, a bright yellow arrow exists to point you in the right direction.

Which makes me wish for a few bright yellow arrows in my life. Too bad when I feel lost, or confused, or tired, a shiny arrow doesn’t appear above my head. Life just isn’t that simple.

However, we do have a God who’s committed to showing us the way. Pray this line from the psalmist when in need: Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path (Psalm 27:11).

The Scriptures may not come across as obvious as a Camino arrow, but they provide direction in much the same way.

Camino de Santiago 2024

Photo: Camino arrow on an old building pointing the way

Sometime on the Camino de Santiago my mind wanders. I notice a backpack and wonder—what country makes that brand? I think about lunch, then dinner, and snacks in between. At times it’s hard to stay focused.

Which is one reason God gives me something to think about:

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

This passage encourages me to keep the commands of the Lord in front of me whether I’m sitting at home or walking the Way of Saint James. Even a brief reading goes a long way. If the Word of God is living and active, then a dose every day infects me in valuable ways, and begins to affect transformation in my heart.

If your mind wanders like mine, encourage it to stumble back to the Bible. Talk about the Scriptures with a friend or within a small group. Write about them in your journal. Impress them upon your children.

More than shopping or lunch or social media, thank the Lord for giving you something solid and meaningful to think on as you walk through life.

Camino de Santiago 2024

Photo by Aaron Burden

At this point in our second week on the Camino de Santiago, I’m tired.

I’ve walked 10-15 miles every day. I start the morning stiff, then limber up as I stroll. My knees and hips feel the distance in the evening. I look forward to the close of each day when I kick off my shoes and take refreshment. I renew my strength in order to walk the next day.

Like a long trail to a false summit, life brings discouragement at times. Strength beyond myself resides in the Lord, who supplies a supernatural lifting. So I wait and trust. Then, even if I don’t necessarily feel the force, I take to the trail.

With the Lord I can walk without fail. I might run and perhaps even fly. God’s strength, infused through the Holy Spirit, pushes me to lengths I failed to believe possible when I started down the long journey of life. Here’s how the prophet Isaiah described this power:

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:28-31).

These next few days I don’t need to soar—I’m happy to just walk and not faint. But however I move ahead, I remain grateful for the Lord’s strength along the path.

Camino de Santiago 2024

Photo: A pilgrim with a disability takes to the Camino