Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
God has given us His Word to guide us. We need to know where we are going and we need to know how we are going to get there. Many of us are confident about the final destination but the actual journey is where we sometimes struggle. I do not know how many times I have researched a route that looked great on the map and the navigation device, but was full of problems and surprises once I got started. Life is like that. We know where we want to go and we know what we should do to get there, but once we start, we encounter detours, delays, roadwork, accidents, and traffic. Today’s verse is a short but powerful reminder that God has given us a lamp and a light as we travel.
- The Lamp
There is a great quote that says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Our Christian life is a journey from salvation to eternity, but it is made one step at time. God’s Word is lamp for each of those steps. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15 that we must walk “circumspectly”. That literally means one step at a time while observing everything around where we will place our foot. The only way our walk will be different from the world is for us to see where to take each step. The Word of God illuminates our surroundings for that purpose. Living by faith is living one day at time, moment by moment, trusting God as we take each step on our journey.
- The Light
If the lamp is for each step, the light is for the path of direction. God does not reveal the individual details of the entire journey to us, and I am glad that He doesn’t. We would be terrified if we knew everything. God does, however, give us the direction we should take. His Word reveals the direction, and the path we need to walk to get us to our ultimate destination. The light of God’s Word is constantly shining through the darkness, showing us where God wants us to travel.
As Christians, our destination is known. God gave us His Word for a light to show us the general direction to take in order to get there, one path at a time. God gave us His Word for a lamp to show us how to take each step safely. I believe the underlying theme of this verse is faith. We must trust God’s Word for each step we take in life and for each path we walk on. If we are trusting His Word, ultimately we are trusting Him. My wife gets frustrated with me in our travels sometimes because I argue with the navigation system or refuse to follow it altogether. You can imagine the results of those actions. Time is wasted because I am lost and I have to find my way back to the right road. God will get you home safely, trust Him. Don’t argue with Him, don’t go your own way, and don’t stop taking one step at time. If you do, time will be wasted and you will have to get back on the right path. Use your lamp and your light, and you will have a journey that glorifies God.
Bell Creek Baptist Church 