As Far as I Can Step

Meditations for Ragamuffins 

July 10, 2023

As Far as I Can Step

“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

Psalm 23:2-3

Sometimes it is helpful to think of our journey seeking the life in Christ as our way of life as though it were a process to be learned. Although seeking the life in Christ does involve training in the new way of living in the Spirit, ultimately, we are transformed by God working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Our responsibility is to let God transform us into a new person, and this is more of an art than a process. (See Philippians 2:13 and Romans 12:2)

When I think of how I can let God transform me, I think of the TV show, “Dancing with the Stars.” Dancing with a partner involves one person leading, the other following. When two people try to lead, it doesn’t feel right to the partners and their movement doesn't flow with the music. However, when one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both partners begin to flow with the music. It's as if the two become one. To dance with a partner takes surrender of control and attentiveness from one person, and guidance and skill from the other.

Now, stand back and look at the word guidance. Do the letters ‘dance’ at the end of the word guidance jump out at you? Next, look at the acrostic formed by the letters preceding ‘dance.’ G U I: God U and I dance. Spiritual guidance is dancing with God as we surrender control and allow God to lead us beside still waters, restore our soul and lead us in right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2b-3 NRSV)

My Takeaway: My metaphor of Dancing with the Stars breaks down a bit because unlike the partners on the TV show, we do not know the whole dance routine; God just gives us one step at a time. A true story I read many years ago helps me learn to rest in God arms and allow Him to lead our dance, one step at a time.

“As missionaries living abroad, we depended on older men serving as night sentries for our homes. These men were most useful in carrying notes at night between homes. One dark night, with no moon or stars shining, I went to my door and could just make out the figure of Papa Jean holding out a note. There were no streetlights in this isolated mission station. A small, six-inch kerosene lantern with a smoky chimney in Papa Jean's hand gave the only smattering of light. “Such a pitiful little light in such a dark night I thought; "That lamp doesn't give much light, does it, Papa?" I said to him. "No, it doesn't," he answered. "But it shines as far as I can step." (As Far as I Can Step, Virginia Law, Word Books (1970))

As I dance with God, I am learning His light shines as far as I can step.  

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.