Freedom on the Path

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading, titled, Freedom on the Path, was written by Ann Cetus. In beep baseball, the players who are blind listen for a beeping ball or buzzing bass to know what to do and where to go, the blindfolded batter to account for various degrees of blindness, and sighted pitcher are on the same team. When a batter swings the bat and hits the beeping ball, he or she runs toward the buzzing bass. The batter is out if a fielder smothers the ball before the batter makes it to the base.

Otherwise, the batter scores a run. One player remarked that the best part is that he feels great freedom in running because he knows there's a clear path and direction. The book of Isaiah tells us that God, the upright one, makes the way of the righteous smooth. When this was written, the path for the Israelites looked anything but smooth. They were experiencing divine judgment for their disobedience. Isaiah exhorted them to walk in faith and obedience, the often difficult but smooth path. Being concerned for God's name and renown was to be their heart's focus. As believers in Jesus, we come to know more about God and build our trust in His faithful character as we follow His ways in obedience. Our path in life might not always look or feel smooth, but we can be assured as we trust in Him that God is alongside us and making a way. We too can feel freedom as we run in obedience on God's best path for us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 26, verses 1 through 13. In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah.

We have a strong city. God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the rock eternal. He humbles those who dwell on high. He lays the lofty city low.

He levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down, the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor. The path of the righteous is level. You, the upright one, make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You. Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for You in the night.

In the morning, my spirit longs for You. When Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness. Even in a land of uprightness, they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord. Lord, Your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame.

Let the fire reserved for Your enemies consume them. Lord, You establish peace for us. All that we have accomplished, You have done for us. Lord our God, other Lords beside You have ruled over us, but Your name alone do we honor. Let's pray together. Father God, we are so grateful for the freedom we experience on Your good path. Please keep showing us Your way and help us to follow it faithfully. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening today. I'm Rachelle Traub and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.