The Path of Faith
God has a path in which His own can walk for His glory, a path which the vulture’s eye hath not seen, nor hath the lion’s whelp trodden it, the path of faith. Abraham, the father of the faithful, was called into this path, when God appeared unto him and said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee." In obedience, Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went, deeply conscious that the One who had called him was able to support him in the path of His will. Any failure on Abraham’s part but magnified the wisdom and goodness of God, Who was ever ready to order the circumstances to bring about his recovery. All failure results from being occupied with temporal and material things instead of with the end for which God has called us. The path of faith is the path of the just, which is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Joseph had that path to travel in order to reach that which God had revealed to him in his dreams. For him, it meant deep trials, "Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him." His faithfulness and devotedness were manifest in the trying circumstances, and with him, patience had its perfect work. God wrought behind the scenes to fulfill His purpose, so that the moment of his exaltation came, and he was called to be the preserver of life for Egypt and the countries around.
In Moses we have a man of faith, who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. He was trained by God at the backside of the desert for his work, and at the appointed time, he was sent forth as the great leader of Israel, to secure their liberty from Pharaoh’s bondage. Faith enabled him to forsake Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Moses’ faith is manifest in his keeping the passover, Israel’s in passing through the Red Sea.
Many others could be cited to show that only by faith can we be maintained in the path which glorifies God. In these days we have much to encourage us in the path of faithfulness and devotedness, for God, in His great goodness, has given us wonderful light. All the purpose of God has been revealed to us, and the Holy Spirit given to keep us in the power of it. The glory shines in the face of Jesus Christ, Who Himself is the leader and completer of the path of faith. He has reached the right hand of God, where there are pleasures for evermore.
The beloved apostle Paul, who followed in fidelity that same path, could say at the close of his earthly journey, "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith"; and exhorting his son Timothy said, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." Timothy was to walk in the same path for the glory of God. May it be given to each reader, though in dark days and in much feebleness, to have the eye directed to that blessed Man that sits in the glory, Who alone is able to maintain us in the path of faith, till we see Him, face to face.
