O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
The way of man is not in himself, and no person can direct his own course or determine his own steps by himself, for the way is not within his own control. Human wisdom and judgment are not enough to direct that course, so a man that walks cannot direct his steps by his own understanding. This need for divine guidance was learned through lived experience, and the confession leads directly into prayer asking for correction with justice and not in anger.
Dependence must be humble, resting on divine providence and will rather than on self-reliance. Even capable servants must distrust self-reliance and remember that human understanding is limited, since trusting oneself can quickly carry a person beyond his depth.
Every servant must be guided by the Holy Spirit, for the Lord Himself marks out the path, and even when it is rugged it must be walked in. Those walking that appointed, rugged path are to trust Christ as a personal and sympathetic Saviour who loves them, who gave Himself for them, and who does all things well.
Prosperity and life itself depend on divine permission and blessing, so the promises do not authorize rushing needlessly into danger or presuming upon protection. At the crucifixion the divine hand directed events so that one significant scene followed another in fulfillment of prophecy, and those divinely directed events led many to search the Scriptures and seek for themselves what they meant.
The way of man is not in himself, and no person can direct his own course or determine his own steps by himself, for the way is not within his own control. Human wisdom and judgment are not enough to direct that course, so a man that walks cannot direct his steps by his own understanding. This need for divine guidance was learned through lived experience, and the confession leads directly into prayer asking for correction with justice and not in anger.
Dependence must be humble, resting on divine providence and will rather than on self-reliance. Even capable servants must distrust self-reliance and remember that human understanding is limited, since trusting oneself can quickly carry a person beyond his depth.
Every servant must be guided by the Holy Spirit, for the Lord Himself marks out the path, and even when it is rugged it must be walked in. Those walking that appointed, rugged path are to trust Christ as a personal and sympathetic Saviour who loves them, who gave Himself for them, and who does all things well.
Prosperity and life itself depend on divine permission and blessing, so the promises do not authorize rushing needlessly into danger or presuming upon protection. At the crucifixion the divine hand directed events so that one significant scene followed another in fulfillment of prophecy, and those divinely directed events led many to search the Scriptures and seek for themselves what they meant.