Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Psalm 119:105

 

I remember hiking with Marcia in the Franklin Mountains outside of El Paso. Even with the light of the sun we sometimes lost track of the trail ahead of us. What was a well-worn path turned into what appeared to be dozens of paths. Which one should we take? They all headed in the same general direction, but we couldn’t easily determine which was the safest and most trustworthy.

 

Life is sometimes like that. Maybe you are in a place where several alternative paths appear before you and all looking like they will take you where you want to go. Or perhaps you are in a place where you are paralyzed by not seeing the path before you. You long for a ‘crystal ball’ that will reveal your future.

 

The psalmist reminds us that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It is our guide for living well and keeping from peril.  Sometimes we don’t realize how much we need guidance until we’ve gone too far down a dark path we shouldn’t have traveled. There are times when the road ahead is foggy. Our vision is clouded by our present circumstances or emotional being. God’s Word is designed for exactly such a purpose.

 

This isn’t just the path to finding Jesus once, but to finding Him every single day as we encounter others around us. It shows us the right way to live today. In darkness, we are tempted to say something untrue or unkind, a word to put someone down, or something sarcastic to illuminate our wit. In light we choose words to build each other up, because that is the path we are meant to walk. In darkness, we tuck away our savings to buy the things that bring us temporary pleasure. In light we see others in need and the joy of bringing the encouraging light of Jesus to their world.

 

The bible says the world lives in darkness and loves the darkness.  Jesus said, “YOU are the light of the world.”  But the lamp that reveals God’s will is not our own. It is fueled by the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit.  It isn’t simply some random act of kindness of do-goodies. The true light in you intentionally shines in the darkness to guide you and to show God’s goodness to others.

 

Today we get to choose which path to follow, the one advancing our own personal agenda or the one that leads us – and others – closer to God.  Where will His light – in you – shine today?