For some reason I like pictures of paths and roads in the woods. In high school my art teacher taught us that since Western languages read left to right, any image that seems to “flow” right to left will have an off, or negative, or even menacing feel. She showed us a Russian artist’s depiction of a 17th century woman being arrested for her beliefs. The villagers mourn for her as she is dragged away, moving right to left.
So, I often take this particular path through the woods on walks. Because the path curves a wee bit to the right and then to the left, it always catches my eye. It just looks like I’m getting ready to walk into some far-off place, not knowing if it’s a good or bad “flow.”
Sometimes we go down a foreboding path because we have to. As in the case with this path, it leads me on the rest of my walk, so I know it serves a good purpose. Sometimes we have to go down a worrisome path, because we have become ill, or because we experience a significant loss.
When the path goes right to left, or when we can’t see the end of it, it’s important to know we’re not alone. Several of the Psalms mention God’s leadership on the path:
Psalm 23.3: He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Psalm 119.105: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 139.3: You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
May we be aware of, and thankful for, God’s presence on the path.
Pastor2K 