According to my journal, I chewed on and then wrote about this verse in 2013. I did it again in 2018. Another five years have passed, and again the verse catches my eye and my thoughts this morning. Seems to be a cycle here, a five-year renewal plan. How I need the reminder about the secret of walking freely in an open place.

I will walk freely in an open place
because I study Your precepts.

(Psalms 119:45 CSB)

Come on! Isn’t there something inviting about the idea of walking freely in an open place? I’m thinkin’ . . .

Literally the term refers to a “broad” or “wide” (ESV translation) place. The idea is that of freedom (which is how the NIV translates it). “Wide open spaces”, that’s the term Peterson uses in The Message. Unencumbered. Free to do as I want. Tell me that’s not an invigorating thought.

Free to do as I want — but not in a licentious, self-serving, feed the old-nature way. Instead, free to do as I’m inclined to do because my inclination has been informed by heaven-sent precepts. What I desire has been shaped by what I’ve studied — the ways of God for His creation. What I want to do and where I want to walk being the fruit of what I resort to for counsel and where I frequent for clarity concerning living life and living it to the full. I am free to walk in open places as I consult, enquire of, and seek the word of God.

The freedom realized of “no condemnation in Christ” (Rom. 8:1) through the finished work of the cross catapults us into the freedom actualized of walking in the way of Christ by the Spirit of Christ as the Spirit illuminates the Word.

To be sure, we need to work at walking freely. Every morning we wake up to our flesh, our old nature, ready to war against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). And I’m guessing that, more often than we realize, the enemy is at work in unseen realms to clutter up and choke out open places while misdirecting us to other places. But if our habit is to continually seek God’s way through God’s word then, kind of by default, we wield “the sword of the Spirit”, the word of God (Eph. 6:17b), able to put down the desires of the old man (Gal. 5:16) and stand fast against “cosmic powers of darkness” (Eph. 6:12). As we keep ourselves in His word, we have confidence that we are abiding in His way. Thus, walking freely in an open place.

Did I mention that should jazz us?

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal. 5:1). And according to the psalmist this morning, at least part of the secret sauce for actually experiencing that freedom is found in studying His word.

Work of God speak!

So that we might walk freely in an open place.

Only by Your grace. Only for Your glory.