“I being in the way, the Lord led me” (Gen. 24:27).
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).
“In the way”—God’s purpose and plan for your life and mine. How important it is that we make it our business to be “in the way” so that the great purposes of God for our lives might be fulfilled. It is only as His Holy Spirit is followed that we will be prompted to little acts of usefulness and blessing; otherwise, our lives are filled up with trifles that self prompts to be done. Time taken for quiet alone with God will give us the chance to hear what He would have us to do, and thus we, “being in the way,” the Lord can guide and lead us to take His messages to needy souls.
Only a word, yes, only a word
That the Spirit’s small voice whispered “Speak,”
But the worker passed onward, unblessed and weak,
Whom you were meant to have stirred
To courage, devotion and love anew,
Because when the message came to you,
You were out of touch with your Lord.
Only a note, yes, only a note
To a friend in a distant land.
The Spirit said, “Write.” But then you had planned
Some different work, and you thought
It matters little. You did not know
’Twould have saved a soul from sin and woe.
You were out of touch with your Lord.
Only a day, yes, only a day,
But oh, can you guess, my friend,
Where the influence reaches, and where it will end?
Oh, the hours that you frittered away!
The Master’s command is “Abide in me.”
And fruitless and vain will your service be
If out of touch with your Lord.
—Jean H. Watson.