“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“–2 Cor. 12:9

“….I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. “– Matthew 28:20

The path in front of me may be full of flowers — or full of thorns.
Or, as is more probable, flower and thorn may be mingled together.
The sky may be light — or dark.
The weather may be glorious summer — or bleakest winter.
But I go safely and happily, if the Lord Jesus, who can and will supply my every need, is with me all the days.

Some of the days will be days of discipline — of the pruning knife and the cleansing fire. But when He is with me, the discipline is a blessing, and not a curse. It teaches me . . .
to grasp His strong right hand with a tighter hold,
to pray more earnestly,
to find heights and depths of meaning in the promises of God,
to feel for others who are in tribulation.
Mind and heart and character are bettered by the endurance of affliction.

Many of the days, too, will be days of monotony. They must be spent in little things — household labors, common concerns, unnoticed toil. I may long for a more striking and romantic experience. But when He is with me, I know that He makes my life like His own — the blessed life He lived among carpenters’ tools, and village streets, and peasant people. The drudgery is a love-message — it is Jesus Christ in disguise!

Every day will be a day of temptation. In the home, in the business, in company, in loneliness — I shall encounter the devil’s subtle snares. But let my Lord be with me, and temptation will but reveal the closeness and blessedness of the tie. It will be an instrument which He uses to impart more maturity to my graces — more courage, more patience, more trust.

Perhaps one of the days will be the day of death. But if He does not leave or forsake me, then death will be an ingredient in the training that fits me for the glorious inheritance! As John Bunyan pictures it — I must cross the ‘River of Death’ to reach the ‘Celestial City’. Jesus did it Himself, and the disciple is not above the Master. His Everlasting Arms will sustain me in the flood; and, on the other side, I shall enter the ‘Beautiful Gate’ and see His face!

ALL the days He is with me — to the end, and through the end, and beyond the end forever and ever! Whether I live, therefore, or whether I die — I am His and He is mine!–(Alexander Smellie, “On the Secret Place” 1907)

London’s intent seems obvious to me– when you ignore wise counsel and warnings you suffer severe consequences. I saw in this story a commentary on human nature. The natural man is not only sinful, he is a stupid and stubborn creature. Rather than heed wise counsel, that would keep him safe, he goes “astray” by turning “to his own way“( Isa. 53:6). He is unaware of what Jeremiah said in Jer. 10:23 “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” That’s a nice way of saying we don’t have enough sense to know how to live. But however you say it, that’s the truth. We are safe only as we walk in the ways of the Lord.

This is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, when more died that on 9/11. This led to Americas involvement in WW II that was started when Hitler invaded Poland two years earlier. While this attack came as a shock to many it was no surprise to others who had warned that it would happen. U. S. officials however thought that the Philippines would be attacked first. The debates about this continue to this day, but there can be no doubt about the fact that we were unprepared and paid dearly for it.

There is a lesson in this for all of us—don’t ignore warnings! Those who do either have no confidence in the source, or that they will be the exception to the rule, or that the pleasure is worth the risk. Admittedly in some case the consequences might not be a big deal, but sometimes it is a matter of life and death, heaven or hell. And when the source of the warning is God you better listen. He doesn’t make idle threats, lie, or miscalculate. He speaks the truth. When He says you will reap what you sow it is true. When He says “You must be born again” it is a fact. The outcome isn’t debatable.

Never doubt what God says. He never lies or errors, and He has your best interest at heart. It is best for you that you believe Him and do as He says. Having done so you can breathe a sigh of relief and be at peace knowing you are safest in His will. When you shun God’s counsel and ignore His warnings you aren’t running a risk you are running head long into trouble– it’s insane. There can be but one outcome–as God said.

No one knows how you feel/hurt better than God. He knows you are confused. He hears your questions. Yet He doesn’t cave in to your appeals for change. He doesn’t alter His plan because we don’t approve. What He does do is promise grace to sustain us and to use it for His glory and some good. So, since He doesn’t change, your only hope for peace in your storm is to accept what He allows. You don’t have to of course. You can fuss and fight and make yourself more miserable. But when we trust God’s promises and surrender to His will we are given a peace that passeth all understanding.