When going through a dark path, if you don’t want to stumble and fall, you need light. We may find ourselves on such paths at one point or another and as believers, we have the hope of God’s word. The scripture tells us that God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Uncertainties are like darkness and life is full of them. We can become anxious about the next step because we don’t know whether or not it is the right one to take, we don’t know whether that step will lead to sinking sand or solid ground. But if we can use the word of God right, it becomes a lamp to our feet, such that we make guided steps. It can be a light to our path such that we clearly see the road ahead.
God’s word is the ultimate light
Our conscience is a form of light. It can guide us on what steps to take. Advice from people around us can also be light. However, these lights don’t always lead us to the right path. This is because man’s conscience can be polluted, and like in Absalom’s case, advice can prove wrong. God’s word, on the other hand, is the ultimate light because it is flawless (Ps. 18:30).
When we take steps lighted by God’s word, we can be certain we are taking the right ones. We are told in 2 Corinthians 2:14 that God always leads us to triumph and one of the major ways He leads us is through His word.
God’s word helps us walk uprightly
Even a believer will walk in darkness if he fails to depend on the light of God’s word. Wherever light is, as little as it may be, it will expel any darkness present. The Psalmist said; thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee (Ps. 119:11). When we stay close to God’s word, we are shielded from sin. God’s word teaches us what is expected of us, and by constantly renewing our minds through the word, we are able to live up to the expectation. (Rom. 12:2)
Many of us no longer want to use the light of God’s word to guide us through this dark world; this is the church’s problem today. We depend on our own “righteousness” or our own “discipline” or “morals” to teach us how to walk uprightly and that unfortunately makes us fall into error too easily, too quickly. Let us rather depend on the word of God. It is through the word that we are saved and it is by it that we can continue to live as the saved. The word of God in our hearts keeps every darkness away.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.
Psalm 37:31 BSB
In Psalm 119:11, we see that the Psalmist made a personal statement. He did not just describe God’s word as a lamp or a light, he said God’s word is a lamp to his feet and a light unto his path. This should be every Christian’s disposition to the word. We are meant to see God’s word as our source of direction and guidance. We are to live by it.
If you find yourself lost, not knowing what to do next, turn to God’s word for guidance. If you find yourself confused, the word of God can provide you with insight. If you find yourself drifting too close to darkness, the word of God can light your path again.
Other forms of light may disappoint us halfway into the journey. They may even be too dull to illuminate the way fully but God’s word is not like that. God’s word is complete in every form; for instruction, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. It is reliable and true. It is the ultimate guidebook for every Christian. (Josh. 1:8)
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
Proverbs 4:18-19 BSB
The path of the righteous shines because God’s word is there to light it up. The more they stay with the word of God, the brighter the path shines. Some other translations say that this light shines brighter even unto the perfect day. A Christian who continues to live by the word will keep walking on a lit path even till the day the Lord returns. If you find yourself stumbling too often, you may have drifted a bit too far from the word of God.
In the dark, anything dangerous can happen. Most crimes are committed at night when visibility is low. Without God’s word, we would be walking in darkness. In a world where right and wrong can be determined by personal feelings, bias, and weak morals, we need a firm voice of direction. God’s word provides us with this, leading us to the right path and keeping us out of the dark. Beyond this, it protects us from spiritual darkness and leads us to Jesus. In Jesus, we find all the comfort light gives.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
If you do not have Jesus yet, you are still walking in darkness. If you do not know the word of God, you are walking on a very dark path. The lamp of the wicked eventually gets extinguished and the lamp beside him goes out. Soon, he stumbles without even knowing what caused it (Job 18:5-6; Prov. 4:19). Jesus’ assurance to all that follow Him is that they will never walk in darkness. He is a light that is that reliable. Today presents you with the opportunity to follow Jesus and His word. If you take that chance, your life and eternity will be better for it. Say this prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank you for your sacrifice of love for me. Today, I choose you and I choose to follow as you lead. Amen.
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