| Things to Live For |
Chapter 23 |
Page 2 |
Peter in his impulsive warm heartedness would have turned Jesus away from his cross. Many times human love has held back its dear ones from paths of sacrifice, hardship, and loss, which were the divinely ordained paths for those feet. Human guidance is not enough. We want something truer, wiser, safer, something infallible. And that is just what we have assured to us in this promise of divine direction. We may have Christ for our counselor, and he never advises mistakenly. He knows all life’s paths, not simply as God, all knowing, but as man, having passed through every way. He has promised to direct all our paths.
There is a condition; we must acknowledge him in all our ways. Most of us acknowledge the Lord in some of our ways. We turn to him in the time of great trials, or in sore dangers. Even scoffers and atheists have been known, in the moment of peril, as in a storm at sea, to fall upon their knees and call upon god for help. The most ungodly people, when alarming sickness is on them, or when death stares them in the face, want to take hold of the hand of God. There are none of us who do not at certain times crave the divine direction and help. But the condition of the promise reads, “In all thy ways acknowledge him.”
Perhaps we acknowledge God in spiritual things, but shut him out of the other parts of our life. We talk to him about our soul, but not about our daily work, our weekday life. What did you pray for yesterday? Did you men talk to God about your business, your buying and selling, your farm work, your common task work? Did you women pray about your household affairs, asking God to help you keep tidy homes, and to train your children well, to be sweet tempered, gentle, patient, thoughtful? Did you young people talk with God about your studies, your amusements, your friendships, and your books?
Page 2