Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
In 1969 Frank Sinatra released the recording of an English-language version of a French song that became one of the songs most closely associated with him. In the years that followed “My Way” was recorded by a number of other artists. It remains a popular song today. In fact, one survey indicated it has become a top song played at funerals. The words perfectly describe the attitude of people apart from God who regard setting their own course and following it to be a good thing.
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all, and I stood tall
And did it my way
Going our own way may seem appealing, but the Bible tells us that it leads to destruction: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Rather than something to be admired and praised, our insistence that we know best and can choose for ourselves always takes us down the wrong path. Our hope, both for this life and for eternity, is found in accepting God’s offer of salvation and walking in His path rather than our own.
