PATHS

Psalm 25:10 – All the PATHS of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

I have certain paths that I jog on daily with my dog, a boxer terrier mix named Trixie who is about two years old. I stay on the paths I know and never experiment with a new trail without bringing another jogging buddy along. One morning Trixie and I were running down a path that I have been down hundreds of times, a course that starts off adjacent to a main road then branches off into smaller trails through a neighboring subdivision.

All of a sudden a huge black shepherd came charging out of nowhere and began attacking my dog, who looked like a small child in comparison to this bear looking animal. I tried to pull my dog away and kick the attacker at the same time, but to no avail. The dog kept following and kept attacking.

My mind raced ahead to an imaginary outcome where I would try to fight off this brute, get bitten myself, and have to carry off my half dead limp partner, both of us bleeding and damaged. Realizing my helpless state, I yelled out “HELP!” No sooner had the words left my exasperated lips did a car pull over, a man (an angel, I suspect) got out of his car and subdued the vicious dog long enough for us to escape. Trixie amazingly left that ordeal with only a few puncture wounds. All I could do in response was continually yell over my shoulder, “Thank You So Much!”

This event has replayed itself probably a thousand times in my mind and each time it’s as if God allows me a sneak peak into what also happened. The garrison of angels who accompanied me, the legion of demons wanting to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), my plea for help, this stranger’s intervention and his ability to control this animal without harm to himself.

I wouldn’t run that path for months following. Even with pepper spray in hand I felt vulnerable and afraid. But then God showed me that the attacks may come, the enemy is always out there, but His mercy, steadfast love, and faithfulness will be there too. As a child of God who is striving to remain in covenant and keep His testimonies, there’s no path where He is not, no storm, no pain, no fear that He hasn’t already conquered. He promises countless times in His word that He will never leave us or forsake us. The Good Shepherd is always there to protect his sheep from harm. His paths are paved with mercy and love!