Psalm 86

"Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth,
give me an undivided heart to revere your name."
Psalm 86: 11

Not every trail is marked clearly when you venture out away from the paved roads. Sometimes you can tell clearly which is the more traveled path and make assumptions about where it will lead. Other times you just hope you have a sense of direction and trust that you will be able to follow along the path and get to your destination. When you really get serious about venturing off the beaten path having a map and a compass and knowing how to use them is the best bet.
When I read this verse in the psalms it is what I would like in my life. To have an undivided heart that was given completely over to the Lord has been my desire for many years. But even with that desire there are many things that get in the way and make it difficult. There are so many things that pull my mind and body away from focusing upon God. Sometimes I think it would be easier if Jesus said to me, "Sell everything you have and give it to the poor and then follow me." That seems like it would be the way to have an undivided heart. But that isn't what I've heard. So how do I follow the Lord given the life I find myself involved in?
It strikes me that maybe having an undivided heart is as much about giving Jesus away as it is about giving away worldly possessions. Maybe it is about looking at each moment as an opportunity to engage the world with the one I know to be Lord of my life. Maybe it is about being willing to give myself away to others on whatever path it is that I'm being led upon. Maybe it is about taking time to listen to the little boy who wanted to tell me about what he was learning in school, or the last living relative of Chief Geronimo who needed to tell me about the damage that "Christians" had done to his people, or the man whose brother had been a Catholic priest but who couldn't bring himself to attend church anymore. Did I bring Jesus into those opportunities? I hope so because otherwise I'm off the path and don't have a clue how to find my way back.