“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” [Psalm 119.105 NASB]
It is possible that the word "lamp" refers to a large light, which covers a wide area and the "light" may also point us to a specific direction in which we are to walk.
Have you ever been in a dark and difficult environment where you were not too sure where it was safe to walk? David had. After being anointed king at the hand of Samuel, David was continually pursued by jealous Saul and his like-minded men; and very often he had to run for his life and hide with his brave and courageous men in dark caves until the day dawned when he would know more clearly what to do.
In today's text, David might not have been particularly thinking of a physical situation but his mind may have been on the various predicaments where God had naturally or supernaturally delivered him.
The Christian life is one of total dependence on God and in a number of instances the need for direct and clear guidance comes to the forefront. When does this usually occur? We have probably completed the last project and we are now waiting for further instructions.
At this juncture in his life, David needed (and maybe we do too) two forms of guidance - to know what to do next and to be confident of where he was going in the longer term.
Today, the believer walks by faith. Whether it is what to do today or what you believe God would have you to do in the days ahead, God's Spirit, in line with His word, is the solution for both of these situations.
How then can we transfer God's word from the pages of Scripture to the confusion and uncertainties which so often constitute our daily life?
God is never taken by surprise. He always knows what we need before we do. This is why in Isaiah 50.4, every morning, He specifically instructed and clearly directed His Servant on what to say and to whom to say it.
Everything was ordered and beautifully executed by the Great Conductor as the Son obediently walked in the light and the knowledge which He had received.
Do you feel your life is out of sync? No matter how hard you try, it all seems so haphazard and disorderly. You may be wondering, "is there a solution?"
In the life of the Lord, the word "feet" referred to His walk of consecration and the "path" led Him eventually to the cross.
If you do not know what to do, do what you know to be right, that is, place everything on the altar and He will ensure that you know what to do next. [David McArdle]
Read more articles by David McArdle or search for articles on the same topic or others.
