“Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.”

Psalm 119:133 New Living Translation

Sometime during the first three months of 1944 I took my first unassisted steps. It didn’t make the newspapers, but my parents were pretty excited.

Folks who come up with statistics say the typical man takes about 7100 steps a day. I probably didn’t get up to that average until my second birthday, but I’ve been cranking them out ever since.

In the early years the steps were invariably fast and furious. Many were at reckless speeds. In my teens and twenties they were purposeful and usually swift. Later in life the steps were measured … there was more thought put into the destination than simply the speed at which it was reached.

Now, even though I still walk faster than most people I am around, it takes much more effort to get in my goal of 10,000 steps a day.

Asking God to guide my steps is no small matter. So far there have been over 200 million of them! Ponder these questions that I have been asking myself:

–       How many of those steps were toward obedience to God’s will or how many were spent moving along my own travel plans?

–       How many steps were detours to help somebody or how many kept me selfishly moving toward only my preferred destiny?

–       How many steps were taken with a peaceful soul or how many were accompanied by strife and the noise of a world gone wild?

–       How many steps did I take fully aware of the Father’s voice or how many were taken ‘out of communication’ with him?

–       How many steps were taken with absolute confidence of God’s leading and how many steps faltered and stopped as I insisted on an understanding of why we were going the way we were going?

Steps. Whether fast and frenzied or methodical and plodding, steps mark movement. But movement by itself isn’t enough. Movement without direction is haphazard and lacks focus. May the God who not only wants to direct our steps, but takes delight in every detail of our lives (Psalm 37:23) make every one of your steps count!

May you enjoy joy on your journey!