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THE DIRECTION YOU TAKE
We humans have nothing to do with the circumstances of our birth: neither as to place, time, health, parentage, family, nationality, nor the financial or social position of our parents. Yet we assume that we have not only the right, but the ability to determine the events and outcome of our lives. Based upon that assumption we presume to set about choosing a course in life. We plan our lives and set about living them all on our own. However, the prophet said, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps,” (Jeremiah 10:23). First of all none of us are able to control events or even our own bodies so as to bring to pass what we may plan. We cannot make one hair of our heads white or black, we cannot change the color of our skins, we cannot cease from sinning, we cannot extend the number of our days beyond that which is determined for each of us – and yet we presume to plan our lives without taking God into consideration. Not only is man incapable of directing his steps he often mistakenly follows the wrong guide. Many advise “follow your heart,” or “let your heart be your guide. The problem with this advice is that the heart of man is not a safe guide. Your heart will not steer you right because, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah17:9). Your heart is filled with sinful desires. If you follow your heart you will remain a spiritually dead pleasure-seeking animal. Whatever “tickles your fancy” will be that which you seek after and that will be the direction of your life. Well, says proud man, if my heart is not a safe guide, I will follow my intellect. I will educate myself and pursue intelligent goals in the direction that I take in life. However, “...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,” (Romans 8:7). Educate it, refine it, discipline it – do all that you are able to do – yet the human mind remains absolute enmity: absolutely contrary to and in rebellion against God. Even if you bend your mind toward religious pursuits your heart and your mind remain unsafe and deceitful guides for your life and its direction. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” (Psalm 111:10). It is wisdom that each person needs to direct his or her path. But a summation of man's predicament is this: “There is no fear of God before their eyes,” (Romans 3:18). Paul wrote that it is “...Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Young and old, all need wisdom to guide them in the direction they take in life and that wisdom is only to be found in Jesus Christ. |
