The Essential Light of the Word of God for the Whole of Our Journey

 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” –verse 105

 

Sure it’s easy to say we believe this verse but do we really?

 

A light on a path is essential to the well-being of the traveler and to keep her/him going in the intended direction.  A dark path can be full of obstacles to bump into or holes to fall into.  It can be painful, even dangerous trying to walk down a dark path without a light.  It is also impossible to gauge if you are still moving in the intended direction.  It is easy to get sidetracked down a little side trail and not realize you’ve gotten off the path until sometime later.

 

But do we really believe that God’s Word is the light to our path?  What path?  Must this not be the path of life?  The Psalmist has spoken of the all-encompassing Word of God that is worthy of the complete focus of his life.

 

All too often, I fear we miss the point of this verse.  We see the path as only a part of our journey.  When in crisis perhaps – then we turn to God and His Word for solace.  When we feel a sense of the rightness or a sense of duty to get a little spirituality into our life – then we seek God in His Word.  When we need something – then we seek God in His Word.  When it’s convenient and we have time or little else to do – then we seek God in His Word.  We should learn to thank God for times like these.  Because at times like these we see the darkness of the path we are on and recognize the need for light.

 

But having said that we must also realize that to view this path as only part of the journey of life is to miss the key point:  my life is a dark path and the only way to live safely and be sure I am headed in the intended direction is to focus my entire life upon seeking God in His Word.

 

God’s Word is not just God’s gift for spiritual reading on Sunday.  God’s Word is not just something to provide solace to the sick or God-thoughts for funerals.  God’s Word is not just the resource of the holy man, priest or minister.  God’s Word is light to illumine the path of one’s entire life.

 

The light shows the way.  To the extent that we don’t use the light is the extent to which we put ourselves in danger and risk getting off the path, moving away from God and turning towards eternity lived apart from God.

 

What foolish people we often are!  We stumble blindly down the path of life, bumping painfully into obstacles, getting side-tracked into the thorny thickets, drawing sometimes closer but often further away from God – all the while holding in our hands a flashlight that is fully functional, but switched off!

 

Dear reader, pick up God’s Word.  Turn on the light of your life!  Commit your way to a course of daily study, reading, and meditation.  Seek input and teaching from the Word.  Learn to know God’s presence speaking to you through the Word.  Practice the disciplines that open your life more fully up to the Word.  Build your weekly routine around meeting with the Lord of the Universe (what more could you possibly have to do that is more important than that?)   Make decisions about what to do and how to do things based upon whether or not it enhances your receiving from God in His Word.  Seek guidance for choices, morality and wisdom from God’s Word.  Respond to God’s Word – make it your life’s ambition to hear it, know it, and obey it – really!  This is not drudgery or constriction.  This is true freedom to soar – to be all that God would have you be, all that you were created to be:  to live in peace with the flow of God’s Spirit (versus trying to swim upstream).  This is the way of Divine favor and blessing.  This is the way to fullness of life – satisfaction, real joy and meaning.  Turn on your light, dear reader!  Pick up and read God’s Word!

 

Turn on your light, O my soul!  O God, help me to set my way, moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, season by season according to Your Word.  Let Your will be done to me, in me and through me according to Your Word! 

 

Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."  Luke 1:38 NRSV