A Lamp unto My Feet

By David R. Ferguson       David wrote in Psalm 119:105-112, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep Thy righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto Thy word. Accept, I beseech Thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Thy judgments. My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget Thy law. The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from Thy precepts. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes alway, even unto the end.” You probably know the following verse well, but read it aloud as though you were hearing it for the first time. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (verse 105). What lessons can we learn from that statement?     The world is dark. It’s in a constant state of moral and intellectual darkness. We have more education today and less wisdom, much as Paul was writing about the state of Corinth in the first chapter of his first epistle to them. People make foolish decisions. The world is also dark spiritually. Satan has numbed people's minds. They don't want to see the light of the glory of God in Jesus Christ, Who is the light of the world (John 8:12) and the Word of God incarnate in the flesh (John 1:8).     The way is definite. How do we make it through this dark world? God has marked out a definite path for each one of us, and we don't have to be afraid of where it leads. It’s a path of life, blessing and righteousness.     Our walk is deliberate. As we take each step, we see more of what God has for us. Sometimes I would like to have a spotlight that shines for miles down the road. But God says, "You're going to learn to walk by faith. You're going to learn to walk by patience, by My promise.“     The word is dependable. That lamp of the word will not go out, and it will not lead us astray. When you read your Bible and let its truth shine on your path, God will show you what He wants you to do. Because your walk is by faith, you can see ahead only a step at a time. Be encouraged that the way is definite and deliberate, and that God’s word is dependable, for Jesus Christ is the way (John 14:6). He will lead you!

- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.com