NEVER is man in more need spiritually than when he feels his need the least. Never is man in more need than when he thinks his own knowledge and judgment of right and truth sufficient.
Never is man in more need than when he depends upon his own religious experience, however rich it may be. In all these cases he is depending upon himself—poor, weak, foolish self. For experience is of little worth in spiritual things if it stand alone. The man of years may have had more than the novice, yet if human experience alone be the ground of assurance, there is but little to choose between, for—
"As the child to the child of four
Is the sage to the fool, and the best of our lore
Is the lore of the babe that begins to grow."
Matched against the experience of our great adversary, with his principalities and powers, of millennia of experience, ours is of little worth. He has met the experience of men of every generation, met and defeated them.
IF this prayer of David ever ought to be made the petition of another, it is now. Nay, more, the multitude need it, both teacher and pupil, both pulpit and pew, both pastor and flock, both parent and child, both prince and peasant.
"Shew me Thy ways, O Jehovah;
Teach me Thy paths." Ps. 25:4.
IT is the prayer of an unsatisfied one. "Show me." There are many such to-day who stand confused in the wilderness of sin, with no plain path before them; many who have fed upon the husks of pleasure till mind and heart are famished; many who have followed the human path of tradition till soul is barren and the heart hungry for fresher, greener pastures; many who are out in the world's great highway listening to the multitude of discordant voices each crying a way, who would be certain as to where is the true way; many who are so sunk in the sophistries and delusions of sin that they are satisfied. But it is encouraging to know that poor human nature is unsatisfied, and is desirous of being shown some way.
"TEACH me;" the prayer is that of the true learner, of one who does not wait to have some earnest, zealous teacher urge him to learn, some parent or guardian force him to study (yet not learn), some sad lesson of experience or providence, force him to acquire hard lessons which under other circumstances might have been easy and pleasant, and not the less profitable. "Show me," "teach me," are the prayers of one who senses his need, who is willing, to some extent, at least, to be taught.
BUT the prayer must go further than this. The great mass want to be shown wealthy ways, prosperous, pleasant paths, smooth roads, easy paths, sloping downward, wealth-bestrewn, flower-bordered, filled with the multitude. But he who thus pleads never improves his condition. He may find ease at the cost of strength; wealth at the sacrifice of honor, life, or character; popularity at the cost of God's companionship. The true prayer reaches beyond self, beyond man, beyond sense, beyond time, even to the infinite.
"Show me Thy ways, O Jehovah." Nothing less can suffice. Let me see God's ways. Not the ways that lead to His ways, do I desire to see, to know, but His ways, where He is, where He walks. It matters not its condition. Men in their blunders may have torn it up, as inexperienced roadmakers injure highways; there may be thorns bordering its path; the devil may have dug his pit upon one side and developed his poisonous, miasmatic slough on the other; still show me Thy way. There may be a myriad voices calling from it; I may meet men rushing backward, frightened at the perils before; it may wind up the Hill of Difficulty and down into the Valley of Humiliation, still, O Lord, show me Thy way. And God will answer such a prayer.
"TEACH me Thy paths." Not alone show me the way; I would walk therein. I shall meet perplexities; teach me how to pass through them without loss of wisdom. I shall meet difficulties; teach me how to overcome them and not dishonor Thee. Obstacles will lie in the pathway; teach me how to surmount them and not stumble. I shall meet deceived ones in the way, used by the enemy to oppose my progress; teach me how to fight loyally the battles of my King, yet bear no malice toward my opposing fellow-men. There will be others who will meet me4as friends, as brethren; as children of the King, mayhap, they have journeyed a part of the pilgrim-way with me; they will assault me with the very sophistries and deceptions of Lucifer; still, O Lord, show me Thy ways, give me clear spiritual discernment, teach me how to meet them.
O FRIENDS, we want a humble, teachable heart before God in these days of perplexing, sophistical questions in state and church. No schemes of man or angel will do now; we must have God's direction. However great or high men have been or may be in the councils of men or even God, we must not depend upon them. Lucifer once stood in the councils of heaven. However great has been our own experience with God or men, it is worthless now unless it teach us greater humility, more of utter dependence upon God, stronger grasp of His great, divine, everlasting principles of righteousness and truth.
OBEDIENCE, willing, submissive obedience, must be the basis of such a prayer. Does God show His ways, enter them. "Teach me Thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in Thy truth. Unite my heart to fear Thy name." God's law will be the chief delight of such a heart. God's Word will be his daily food. God's cause will demand whole-hearted loyalty. He will find in Jesus Christ the "Chiefest among ten thousand," "the One altogether lovely."
