Led the Right Way

Psalm 107:1-9, Colossians 3:1-11

Psalm 107 talks about people wandering in desert waste finding no satisfaction for their thirst and their hunger. When they cry out in their distress God delivers them by leading them a straight way to where there are inhabitants and they can quench their hunger and thirst.

This could easily be a metaphor for the spiritual life. Sometimes we succumb to a desert of the soul – the desert wastes talking about going the wrong way in life seeking things that bring no lasting satisfaction.

These desert wastes are told of in Colossians 3. Paul tells us to put to death the earthly things that keep us from God. These are immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, greed, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language. Instead in order to reach true fulfillment for what you truly hunger and thirst for you need to clothe yourself – seek the right path of the new self in Christ. This new self is being renewed in the knowledge of its creator. We have the image of Christ to copy.

The Psalm tells us to thank the Lord for his steadfast love and wonderful works to humankind. Going the right way toward God’s image satisfies the thirsty and hungry who have tried all the earthly things mentioned above which led to desert waste. They will be filled with the good things of those renewed in Christ.

This right way is available to all. The Psalm says from the lands to the East, West, North, and South. Colossians says that Christ is renewed, Christ being all in all including Greek, Jews, circumcised, and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved, and free. All are to clothe themselves with the new self and follow the right way by striping ourselves of the old self and its practices which leave one stuck in the muck of the desert wastelands.

How many times do we forget to seek things above and get bogged down with earthly things that promise fulfillment but only lead to more desolation. They never fill the true thirst and hunger that only going God’s right way will fill. Seeking the things that are above you will be led out of the desert wastelands into God’s kingdom of love and true fulfillment. Amen.

 

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