One summer many years ago while on
vacation at Camp Arcadia, Michigan, my family was invited to take a nighttime
nature walk. Such activity is not
usually my cup of tea but Sherri, Steph and Eric wanted to go and a group of
our friends was game for this little excursion so I went along. We gathered at our assigned spot where our
guide told us what we would see and experience.
Then she concluded her presentation by saying, “And all this we will do in
the dark – we will not be using flashlights!”
No flashlights! Was she crazy? I
tried not to panic. It’s just that I’m
the kind of guy who likes to see where he’s going. Who wants to stumble like a fool over some
tree root or fall in a hole? No matter what destination I might be traveling, I
want to be sure I’m on the right path.
If I have a phobia, it’s the fear of getting lost.
Well, we survived the trip. And I’m sure there were more than a few who
would have gladly gone again. It turned
out to be real fun! Some folks are brave enough to walk in the woods in the
dark. But very few of us want to walk
through life in the dark. Who wants
to trip over the tangled root of temptation…stumble over sinful thoughts and
ways…fall into the pit of despair and depression?
The psalmist assures us that we
don’t have to go the way that so many others travel.
Your Word is a lamp for my
feet and a light for my path. Psalm
119:105
We learn from this beautiful Bible verse that God’s Word is like a lamp that lightens everything around us. It shows us Jesus, the Light of the world, and His sacrificial love for us. It enlightens us so that we might lead God-pleasing lives. By using this lamp for guidance, it assures us that we walk with Jesus. The bright light of God’s Word keeps us firmly on the path of faith and righteousness. It helps us stay away from the slippery slope of self-indulgence or the confusing maze of worldly values. Even though summer is just around the corner, don’t take a vacation from the Scriptures. Let God’s Word light up your path and your life!
