"You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn."
Psalm 18:36
I came aross this verse the other day when I was looking for another one, and it caught my attention. I've read through the Bible a couple of times in my life, and I just don't ever remember reading this before. How cool is it that the Bible talks about sprained ankles? So I've been pondering as of late exactly what this means.
In my younger years, I used to be athletic. I played volleyball and softball, with softball being my specialty. I'm getting old now - today I turn 43 - so I can't really say I'm athletic anymore. No, in fact, I have a little "arthur" and "itis" and body parts just don't move like they used to. But I do remember preparing for a game. In fact, every game, without exception, my coach always had us stretch, stretch, stretch, so that we wouldn't pull a muscle or turn an ankle.
I think about that this morning, as I read this verse. You see, God doesn't promise us the tough "games of life" aren't going to come. In fact, He is constantly stretching us to grow in Him, strengthening and conditioning us along the way. But you know what He does promise? He promises to give us a sure path. Look at the verse, "You broaden the path beneath me..." But the path that He broadens is the one that He has planned for us. It's God's home court, not the "away team." The path is in Him.
There's nothing we will encounter that will turn our ankles, if we stay on His path for us. Sure, we will face challenges; we will grow, we will be conditioned as Christians, and sometimes that means some pain. (Not that I speak from recent experience of exercise, mind you...) But I do know this to be true: we aren't isolated from trials, just because we're Christians. But I love this promise that God makes our path broader, so we don't have any sprained ankles along the way.
For me, this is just a reminder that I need to continue like it says in Philippians 2:12 to "...work out my salvation..." Because just like my softball coach said, when I work out, when I stretch, I won't have my ankles turn beneath me. More importantly, my Spiritual Coach, Jesus Christ, tells me He makes my path broad beneath me. He preps the way for me, so those ankles don't turn! What a great way to start the day pondering how much my God loves me and prepares my every step!
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com