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Daily Devotionals
Bowen's Daily Meditations
Devotional: June 22nd

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" Teach me thy way, Lord."- Psalms 27:11.

It will hardly be denied by any reflecting person that it is reasonable to suppose that there is for every human being a particular line of procedure which commends itself to God as the best, and every deviation from which is a deviation from that which is best. When we consider how admirably God has organized man, how richly he has endowed him, with what authority he has invested him, and with what appliances he has surrounded him; when we consider what an infinitude of wise and good thoughts God has bestowed in the preparation of man for life; can we believe that God has no particular will in regard to the way in which that life should be spent? We should be greatly surprised if a man should expend an immense sum of money in the building of a ship; employ the most skillful artificers in perfecting her with respect to a thousand anticipated necessities: render her strong, beautiful, swift, commodious; and then launch her and leave her to float at random over the waters, without any commander, without any instructions. Yet this appears to be the idea that many in considerate persons entertain of human existence. They suppose that man is left without a chart, without instructions; and leave it to be inferred that God is the most inconsistent of all beings. Ask them why they suppose so; if they have searched for the will of God, and found none; if they have sincerely asked God for instructions, and obtained no answer; if they have been cordially willing to leave unto God the full control of their earthly existence; and they will be obliged to reply that they have not. Not only have they not sought, they have not been willing to see.

We know, however, that God has a will with regard to every man, a will that takes note of every conceivable particular. We know that he is disposed to make known this will, and disposed also to teach us to do it.

He teaches us to do it by making us sensible of our incompetency to guide ourselves. One after another, signal mistakes occur, to show us how absolutely we need a guide more intelligent than ourselves. We get disgusted with our own ignorance and short-sightedness. We are like a man who finds himself in the midst of a vast factory, crowded with the most complicated and ponderous machinery, where mighty engines of death threaten him on the right hand and on the left, before and behind; he makes a step in one direction, and receives a frightful blow; in another, and gets dreadfully lacerated; then he cries out in agony for someone to take him by the hand and lead him.

He teaches us to do it by showing us the incompetency of others to guide us. Some persons are conscious of their in-aptitude, and look to others to show them what to do with life. They turn to Plato or Socrates, to Seneca or Confucius, to Carlyle or to La Rochefoucauld, to this novelist or to that. In fact, there is hardly any one desirous of teaching but has some scholars. But, alas! they find no way that is in any degree irreproachable. Life is with them a succession of bruises and losses.

He teaches us to do his will, by letting us see it acted out in the beautiful life of Christ. - By giving us to understand that this will has reference, first and last, in great matters and small, to our own best estate and most assured happiness. - By unfolding to us the Scriptures. - By writing his word in our hearts. - By teaching us to abide in Christ. - By giving the Spirit to abide in us.

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