I came across the words to this song today and they really pricked my heart. After you read it through, I'll tell you why...
- Some day life’s journey will be o’er
- And I shall reach that distant shore,
- I’ll sing while ent’ring Heaven’s door
- “Jesus led me all the way.”
- If God should let me there review
- The winding paths of earth I knew,
- It would be proven clear and true
- Jesus led me all the way.
- And hitherto my Lord has led,
- Today He guides each step I tread,
- And soon in Heav’n it will be said
- Jesus led me all the way.
- Jesus led me all the way,
- Led me step by step each day;
- I will tell the saints and angels
- As I lay my burden down
- “Jesus led me all the way.”
Imagine being able to have a testimony like that for all of eternity! Imagine forever and ever and ever being able to say "Jesus led me ALL the way". Imagine the angels and saints of days gone by asking you to tell them again and again the story of how Jesus led you in your life here on earth... How clear it really will become to us then that He was with us every step of the way! Each single step.... It sounds so small and insignificant now, yet in Heaven, each daily step we have taken will have proven whether or not Jesus led us, making us His dear followers.
You know ladies, if we aren't truly following Him now, we will never be able to enjoy singing a song such as this in eternity. If we are bent on having our own way and going our own way, we aren't being led of Jesus ALL the way are we? You see, we are only being led of Him as we are willing to follow Him.... How are you doing at being a follower of Christ dear lady, of being led completely by Him in ALL areas of your life?
Joshua 22:29, "God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord..."
As Christians, we are called to be followers of God. The Lord would have our lives to be examples NOW of Jesus leading us all the way! Whether or not you accept this responsibility or are continually conscious of it, you ARE an example! As a matter of fact, you can't keep from being one! What kind of example would you say you are today in the matter of being led of Christ completely?
1 Peter 2:21 says, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps."
Hmmm...."that ye should follow His steps." When I read those words, in my mind I pictured myself walking along life's pathway easily spotting Jesus big, safe footprints that I could confidently place my smaller foot in. In following His footprints, not only would I find the right pathway to take, but I would also experience the peace of a safe arrival in knowing I was headed in the right direction... What a blessing it is to have the steps of Christ as an example to follow, the steps of our loving Savior! But in order to follow Christ's steps ladies, you and I have to be sure that we are not out in front! We can't be following if we are leading! We won't find any steps to follow when we are out in front. We will be uncertain of where to go... We will not arrive at the proper destination, for there are no guarantees apart from being led of Christ! Could it be there are areas of your life today where you are experiencing uncertainty? Perhaps you are guilty of being out in front of Christ.... An unsteady walk is always the consequence! Follow closely the steps of the Lord! It is our duty to do so and can be our song for all of eternity. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way, but woe to those who make a wrong turn...
1 Kings 9:6-9, "But if ye shall AT ALL turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: [7] Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: [8] And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this house? [9] And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil."
You see ladies, when Jesus leads us, we gain guidance both physically and spiritually. We gain His blessings upon our lives... Better for us if our lives are transformed into dependable witnesses rather than left examples of faulty judgement! In following after our Shepherd, we gain the ability to wisely and properly judge where to go, what to do, based on scriptural knowledge which sheds light onto our path - and into the lives of others as a godly example.
John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
John 8:12, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
As I think about our Savior and His example, through His blood He first led us to the Cross - a place for our sins to be washed away and salvation to be had! No safer place could we ever be led to, amen ladies? No more fear of hell! Jesus led us to the cross because of His great love for us! How could we ever think to step out of those precious footprints of His and walk on our own?! Yet, those holy footprints are an example of suffering too and we need to realize that following Christ will mean that we are to also follow His example of suffering....
Mark 10:32 says of the disciples, "And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him."
Yes, Jesus went BEFORE the disciples. He led them. And what does scripture say? They were amazed! You will be too when you start following Christ in ALL areas of your life! Yet that verse also says they were afraid... No doubt there will be times when following Christ will make us afraid. But it is no reason for us to turn off the path and stop following Him! Jesus life was an example of suffering and ladies, we will have to suffer some things as well. Being a Christian does not mean a life free of pain - emotional, spiritual, physical or otherwise! What did Jesus do about the fear of the disciples? He took their fears one by one and addressed them and explained what things should happen unto him. He shared His Father's Word with them! The verse says "he took AGAIN the twelve and began to tell them..." so that must mean they struggled with this matter of fear quite a bit when following the Savior. Ladies, sometimes the Lord leads us into difficult places to test us (Deut. 8:2), sometimes in a plain path. But always steadily toward the cross, always like a shepherd (Jn. 10:11). Never would our Lord lead us to a place where His hand can not reach! (Ps. 139:9,10)
If they were here, the disciples would tell us that knowing the Word of God will dispel those fears that come to us as Christ's dear followers! God's Word lessens our terror... We have been given the promise that if we follow the Lord, goodness and mercy will follow us! If you've been afraid to follow Christ in ALL areas of your life, perhaps you aren't spending enough time in that precious Word of God to chase away those fears of yours! Keep yourself in that Bible! Though you may temporarily feel safer headed off in your own direction, you're only guaranteed security in being led of God, for He knows where the green pastures and the still waters are! We never need fear the outcome if we follow in the Shepherd's steps...
Psalm 23:1-6, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. [3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. [4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
So dear lady, what song do you think you'll be singing when you enter Heaven's door? "I Did It My Way" or "Jesus Led Me All The Way"..... Whichever it is, you're already humming the tune down here!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
