“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Sometimes, life feels like walking in the dark. Have you ever had that experience? We all have. Which way do I go? Which turn do I take? Will I bump into the wall or trip over something I can’t see? It is a fearful experience. Maybe it’s something happening in our own life or the life of someone we love. Either way, it seems there is no way out, no clear path.
We need a light. God is that light. He is the light of life in his word. Lamps provide a small light for the next few steps. Sometimes we need a lamp. The sun provides a large light for the path ahead. Sometimes we need a large light.
God’s word illuminates the next few steps and the long path ahead. But the light of the word of God must be in our hearts to guide us on the path of life. We need that light every day. Darkness can invade our lives at any moment. We will not stumble and fall if we have the light of God’s word.
The experience of darkness and the reality of light in the word of God speaks of the burning need to have God’s word in our hearts. The only way to have the word of God in our hearts is to intentionally put it there by hearing or reading it often. Just hearing and reading the Bible occasionally will not give us the light we need. We must make a commitment to pursue God in his word. That commitment requires discipline and hard work, but the Holy Spirit will empower us and illuminate our hearts to see the light of the truth in Holy Scripture. If we make this commitment, then when the darkness begins to push its way into our lives, the light of God’s word in our hearts will shine brightly.