Just as the children of Israel sought a path through the trackless wilderness on the way to the land
of promise, so the children of God presently seek a path through the wilderness of the world to
the promised blessings on the other side. It is a path plainly marked to those who know the will
of God, but how often do we leave that path and weary ourselves with wandering until we come
again to that point on the path from which we departed. To follow that path which God has laid
for us (that is, to do His will) is a responsibility and privilege men have as God’s creatures. The
Scriptures amply show how unregenerate men have completely failed to fulfill this responsibility.
But those who are born anew in Christ have power and incentive to do His will. As servants, we
are to obey our Lord. To do His will is to truly own Him as Lord. Having life from Him, we are
to walk worthy of Him, manifesting that life, and we ought to be filled with the knowledge of His
will (Col. 1:9,10). As children of the Father, we are to hearken to His commandments. "Be ye
therefore imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love, even as the Christ loved us"
(Eph. 5:1 JND). We are called to be nothing less than imitators of God. Why? Because we are His
beloved children; we have the Father’s nature, having been created anew in Christ "in truthful
righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:24 JND).

One has said that it is the privilege of every child of God and every servant of Christ to be as sure
that he is in God’s way as he is that his soul is saved. Indeed, the same voice that tells us of God’s
salvation tells us of God’s pathway. If one views the journey of Israel through the wilderness as
representative of the Christian’s journey through the world, it is evident that the pathway is well
marked. For how could the Israelite pilgrim miss seeing the pillars of cloud and fire or miss
hearing the silver trumpet (Numbers 9,10) ? Also, Christ, who is the perfect example for the
Christian’s walk, did always the will of the Father and never hesitated or erred as to what the
divine will was. Yet how many times are we perplexed as to what the will of God is in a matter!
Is not such ignorance of God’s will often due to our neglecting to seek His mind until we have
thoroughly muddled things and are apprehensive about the outcome? Or perhaps we do not
perceive that the Lord has intentionally left many things in generalities to cause us to seek Him
for specific guidance. We would like a convenient and comfortable means of knowing God’s will
and therefore erroneously use the Scriptures as a recipe book of instructions. Or perhaps we have
reached the regrettable point where to submit to His will requires more of us than we are willing
to give. Christ said, "The light of the body is the eye:therefore when thine eye is single, thy
whole body also is full of light" (Luke 11:34). Just as the natural eye is the entrance way for light
to guide the natural body, so the spiritual eye, if it be fixed on the God of light, will fill all the
spiritual man with divine light for divine guidance. The single-eyed Christian is one who allows
his conscience to be placed directly in the presence of God, thus learning what he is in God’s sight
and what God is for him. The single-eyed Christian is one whose only desire is to seek God, to
walk with Him, to know Him in His perfect love and righteousness and holiness. The body then
is full of light; the will of God is known.

Many depend heavily on circumstances for divine direction, and God may indeed direct in this
manner. But to be bumped from point to point by natural obstacles is not to discern the will of
God. Guidance by circumstances is as guidance of the horse and mule which have no
understanding of the will, thoughts, or desires of their masters, but must be held in with a bit and

bridle. To guide us so is merciful on God’s part but very sad on ours. "Be ye not as the horse, or
as the mule, which have no understanding:whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle"
(Psalm 32:9). The promise and privilege of him who has faith and the single eye is, "1 will guide
thee with Mine eye" (Psalm 32:8). God has given us the promise of directing us in such a manner
that by being near enough to God, we can receive guidance by a single glance from Him. Note
the great intimacy implied here and the subtleness of the communication. It is not a shouting or
a waving of the arms as from a distance, but it is being close enough to God to see His eye and
being familiar enough with Him to be guided by it. But to be guided thus, every part of the heart
must be in contact with Him. One is reminded of Peter who, when inquiring about the betrayer
of Jesus, sought the answer from that one who leaned upon the breast of Christ, the disciple whom
Jesus loved. Peter knew instinctively that the secrets of the heart of Christ were revealed to those
who, knowing the love of God, sought His intimate presence. Total commitment of one’s self to
Him is called for here. The will of God ought to be both the motive and rule of all that we do.
Mere frequent inquiries at our pleasure as to His will never suffice to disclose to us His mind.
Ready perception of the will of God, as being guided by His eye, can be realized by hearts which
have no object except the will and glory of God.

If we allow God to guide us and to choose the path, He will, in His lovingkindness, choose the
best for us, the path of greatest blessing. If we choose, we cannot but dishonor Him and deprive
ourselves of blessing. How foolish to tread paths of our own devising and lose forever blessings
that were to be eternally ours. How cold-hearted to disregard and to dishonor Him who loved us
and died for us. "We … do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled
with the full knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so as to walk
worthily of the Lord unto all well-pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing by the
true knowledge of God" (Col. 1:9,10 JND).

(Ed. Note:For further reading on this subject, the reader is directed to J. N. Darby’s Collected
Writings, vol.- 16, pp. 19-30, and C. H. Mackintosh’s "God’s Way and How to Find It" in
Miscellaneous Writings, vol. 2.)