I took some time last week to go to the local lookout spot. It's a little cliff called Barry's Ledge, and the trail to it winds through the typical Maine woods kinda beauty and corkscrews around to the top which is maybe 7 or 8 hundred feet high. Toward the top in a stand of Hemlocks, was a beautiful red Maple being struck by the afternoon light. What a contrast and what a reminder of why I love the Maine woods-especially in Fall. On the brown trail were occasional red leaves that gave a great contrast to the pine needle blanketed trail.
God showed me in that moment of hiking and photographing that the trail of life was much like the one before me.
The red leaves reminded me of how at intervals Christ's blood can make the trail before me one of victory, assurance, and rest. Victory because when I am tempted in some way, remembering Christ's sacrifice causes me to contemplate the love that made that happen. Assurance because in times of doubt and downheartedness, I remember that Christ's sacrifice placed me in the heavenlies and gave me a pure heart. And rest, because when I am unable to be all that I should be, I am forgiven; my sins separated from me as East is from West.
I am going to travel most effectively on the journey when I contemplate the wonderful contrasts on the path provided me by Christ and His shed blood. He travels with me.
Psalm 139:3 " You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately aquainted with all my ways..."
pScott
