When God's Word Isn't A Lamp to My Feet

A rather well known verse is Psalm 119:105:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”

We tend to jump into this verse without realizing what’s happening in the Psalm. The Psalmist has already spent 104 verses saying things like, “…walk in the law of the Lord” (119:1); “…keep your precepts diligently” (119:4); and “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh let me not wander from Your commandments” (119:10). And then there’s “I will meditate on Your precepts” (119:15); “Do not hide Your commandments from me” (119:19); and “Make me understand the way of Your precepts” (119:27). The psalmist wrote, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things” (119:37) and “…I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (119:47). Over and over again in Psalm 119 – before and after verse 105 – the one who says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet” elevates the Word of God in his own eyes, attention, and daily life.

“God’s word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” only when I intentionally use it to illuminate my thinking and actions. God’s word isn’t a lamp to my feet or a light to my path if I don’t know it or use it. Don’t get me wrong, God’s word IS a lamp and a light. It’s not like a flashlight that is off and not shining until we turn it on. It’s on. It’s shining. So, if we’re in darkness it on us – we’re not walking in the light of God. We’re walking where God’s word isn’t shining and so we’re going to stumble and fall.

“…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn 1:5) is a call to “…walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 Jn 1:7), and by doing that have fellowship with God and all others who are walking there. John reminds us that, “If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 Jn 1:6). Like the Psalmist, John is pointing us to use God’s word in our daily walk (living) so we are walking with God in His way.

If I’m not using God’s word to change and guide what I think, say, decide, plan, and do, how is God’s word a lamp to my feet and a light to my path? If the will of God is not affecting me on the job, at school, on the sports fields, and what entertainment I choose, then how is God’s word illuminating my walk and path? If I’m not using God’s word to show me how to worship and serve Him in all things, then I’m groping around in darkness and not in His light.

Stop. Look around. If you don’t know that God’s word guides you to do something, then you better stand still because you are standing in darkness. Look for the light of God’s word. Be attracted to the light of God’s word. Walk into the light of God’s word. Let it, and only it, guide your feet and path because it’s the only light we have.  dd