Sometimes, when I’m hiking, I see a sign that says, “Stay on the Marked Trail.” It’s usually easy to do. What might have started out as someone blazing a trail in the wilderness becomes more defined after a while. When you hike on a well-worn trail, it’s not difficult to stay on it. Sometimes, it’s even hard to get off the trail because it’s surrounded by wilderness. The trail has become ‘hardened’ over time.  

Trails become hardened over time, but so do hearts. That’s what I think of when I think of Pharoah. You can find his story beginning in Exodus chapter 1. 

It’s been said that if you can’t be a good example, at least be a cautionary tale. That’s an apt description of Pharaoh. Early in the encounter with Moses, we learned that Pharaoh didn’t know the Lord and didn’t really care. Yahweh said that through his mighty acts, all of Egypt, including Pharaoh, would one day know him 

But instead of causing Pharaoh to reassess his position, the mighty acts, or plagues, only made him more entrenched against the Lord. Over and over, Pharoah wouldn’t relent and let God’s people go. The Bible describes this as Pharaoh hardening his heart. 

In Ephesians 4, Paul writes that those who don’t believe have become hardened. That’s why they wander from the life God provides. Their hearts have been hardened against God, so they wander aimlessly in the futility of their minds. 

Wandering away from the life of God is a danger for us as well. God invites us to be in relationship with him. He has given his son so that we can be in relationship with him. Over and over God pursues us. Just like he gave Pharaoh opportunities to realize who God was and turn from his stubborn ways, God gives us many opportunities to turn to Him as well.  

There are two paths we can take. One path rejects God’s offer. Every time we reject God, that path becomes easier to travel. Like well-traveled hiking trails, it’s easy to stay on the path. Our hearts become hardened or closed to Him by continuing to neglect or ignore Him. 

The other path accepts God’s offer of life. When we accept God’s offers to grow closer, we become more and more receptive, and saying yes becomes more natural as we discover and live in His abundant life. Like those well-traveled hiking paths, the path of abundant life becomes more accessible and easier to travel.

One path leads to life, while the other leads to destruction, disappointment, and death. God continues to invite us over and over. He gives us opportunities, just like he gave Pharoah opportunities. Pharoah can be a cautionary tale encouraging us to take the path leading to life. Maybe we should pay attention.

This is part of “The Formative Path” a 2024 Fall Sermon Series at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. For more information and the Weekly Reflection Sheets, go to https://ponderingpassages.com/category/path/