The Illuminating Word

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

What is it that illuminates the path of your life? Perhaps we may even need first to acknowledge that we need a lamp. For acknowledging that we need a lamp states that we, by ourselves cannot see rightly or clearly. We are in the dark, at least some of the time. That itself is a needed and honest confession, one that may be easier for some, harder for others.

In considering the question, what illuminates the path of your life, we are asking a question of source. And the source of that light is an important consideration, for only if the source (the light itself) is true, good, and beautiful, can it be trusted. Moreover, only when the light is true, good, and beautiful does it illuminate our lives and the world and God rightly. This question is also of importance, for the nature of the light shapes what we see and therefore shapes us. For example, if our light is a cursory glance at a news feed, then our perception of the world is that it is all aflame, metaphorically and literally. If that news feed is our lamp–our perception of the world–then we will respond to it and its perspective of the world. We will panic or be anxious; we will become lethargic; we may take up arms in revolt (of what?).

As God has created all things and as he is the lover of our souls, his Word may be trusted, for only it is beautiful and only it reveals Beauty itself. A second question then arises: do you avail yourself of this most gracious light? There are certainly hours (days, maybe even weeks) when we may not feel like bathing in this light. That may be due to "mere" physical factors. There is also a spiritual component at work that we should not so easily dismiss. Regardless, the goodness of this lamp, the wholesomeness of its light, is not contingent on our emotions but on the one who authored it (to mix metaphors). That author is the same one who gave up his life that you, and all those who believe, might have life.

Here then is the encouragement. For those who daily draw to this gracious light, continue in that healthy habit. Encourage, with all understanding and grace, your brothers and sisters in the faith. For those who struggle to draw near daily, begin slowly but continue consistently. One excellent place to begin is the prayers of the Psalms. Even when you encounter passages that are confusing–and there are plenty of them–continue to bask in the light of God's Word, knowing that, as a plant slowly grows by basking in the rays of the sun, so too do you continue in growth by the power of his Word and Spirit.

There is such beauty to behold in this world, in each other, and in our God. His Scriptures help us see such things as they really are. More than that, his Holy Scriptures cast a light on our path, showing us the very way to Life and God.

Grace & Peace,

– Matthew+