guides us with his eye

i was soaking in j. newton’s words
in an unlikely spot this noon:
a chilly theatre @ 68th/bway +
where i literally was the only person in there +
waiting for ‘get smart’ to begin:

‘dear sir,

‘it is well for those who are duly sensible
of their own weakness + fallibility,
and of the difficulties with which they are
surrounded in life,
that the Lord has promised to
guide his people with his eye,
and to cause them to hear a word behind them saying,
‘this is the way, walk ye in it,‘
when they are in danger of turning aside
either to the right hand or to the left.

‘for this purpose, he has given us the written word
to be a lamp to our feet,
and encouraged us to pray for the
teaching of his holy spirit,
that we may rightly understand and apply it.

‘it is, however, too often seen,
that many widely deviate from the path of duty,
and commit gross and perplexing mistakes,
while they profess a sincere desire to know
the will of God,
and think they have his warrant + authority.

‘this must certainly be owing to misapplication
of the rule by which they judge,
since the rule itself is infallible,
and the promise is sure…’

john newton,
an utterance of the heart, p. 77

the word of God as part of the
‘cocktail of disciplines’ as tim said with a cheeky smile;
a prescription for life, indeed.