The Harrison times., 1917-08-11

%a ~ but for one who
F. za is the controlling
presence in the universe.
2. He 'leadeth' me. "TO Lead
means TO guide or to conduct as by
the hand; and it is blessed that God
allows US to think of him as occupying
such an attitude towards us. 81 have
called thee in righteousness, said he,
"and will hold thine hand, and will
keep thee" "TO lead" means "to go
before" as when a shepherd leads his
sheep TO pasture. And by his incar-
nation in the person of Jesus Christ,
God has actually gone before US in the
flesh in suffering and glory, leaving
us an example that we should follow
his steps,"
ITO lead" means to persuade, as
when one is driven by necessity to do
a certain thing. And here again we
see the analogy to spiritual truth. ut
was good for me to be afflicted" says
the psalmist, before l was af-
flicted l went astray, but now have
l kept thy law"
ITO lead" means to draw, to allure,
as when ones desires and affections
are stirred in a given direction, and
he then willingly and ardently pr
sues it. AS it is written, "The good
ness of God leadeth thee to repent
ance," and again, eve love him be-
cause he first loved u.s." 1t is thus
that he leadeth us.
A Personal Interest.
3. He leadeth me" We have
dwelt upon the Importance of the first
pronoun, but the second is like unto
it. Indeed, without the second the
first would lose much of its value. 1t
is one thing to know that a personal
God is interested in us, but even bet
ter to know that he is interested in us
personally. David says, of all beings
in the universe, he leadeth me, and his
own history must have convinced him
of this beyond doubt. But he said
it no more confidently than we can
say it if we are the Lords. Stunned
by the world, we may be; ready to
cover ourselves with dust and ashes
at the sight of our own shortcomings,
but still there is one to whom we are
as dear as his own life'S blood, and
whose arms are clasped around as
as though there were not another be-
ing in the world.
4. He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness righteousness" is the
qualifying word Of the sentence so
far as its application to man is con
cerned. Who are those that he leads?
They who are in the paths of right
eousness. The unrighteous therefore
he does not lead. But the righteous
from the Gospel point Of view are not
the externally moral people merely,
but those who have submitted them
selves unto the righteousness of God
the Righteousness which is by faith
They are found in the paths of right
eOuSneSS, because they are found IN
Christ. But being found, they are
now led therein. This leading is
equivalent to their growth in grace,
their development in Christ. Hence
the significance Of that proposition
"in." He leadeth me in the paths OF
righteousness. Not Unto" them but
"iR" them. He leads us into them
in the first place, since without his
regenerating grace we would never
have been found in them.
Leading While in the Way.
But it is a different thing to be led
''in" them after we have been led
Into" them. The paths of righteous
ness would themselves become paths
of error to us, if God were to with
draw his personal leadership. He
must not only make us Christians,
but he must keep us Christians, if we
are to remain so. And the importance
of this continued leadership is EN-
phasized by the word paths" Not
one, but many. Sometimes they are
paths of bodily atiliction, of peril, be-
reavement poverty, strong temptation,
mental darkness, desertion, opposi'
tion doubt, but in all these paths he
leadeth me. BY his word, by his prov
idence by his spirit, and by the eX'
ample of his own life in the flesh
For His Names Sake.
s. He leadeth me in the paths OF
righteousness "for his Names sake"
1t is wonderful how many and how
great things God has done for us and
promises to do for us in his Names
sake. This is "A humbling truth, since
it takes from us all thought of per-
sonal right or merit in the matter. But
It is also an inspiring truth. For II
God leads us in the paths Of righteous
ness for his Names sake, the honor OF
his Name is involved in his leading
us TO the very end, and up to the
~ ,rlAHu