Confession time: I have a terrible sense of direction. I cannot get anywhere without a GPS. I am absolutely lost without it. It guides me to where I need to go, each step of the way. I am so thankful to live in an age where GPSs exist because I would so very often get lost without one. On a much deeper level, I would also get lost without God's Word. It guides me and shows me how to live a life that honors God and offers hope and peace. This is one of the key reasons why we should study and learn God's word. Like a GPS, it tells us what kind of lives we are to live as followers of Christ.
"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path," the Psalmist writes in Psalm 119:105. This Psalm describes the Bible as a lamp and a light. Do you know what it feels like to be in the complete dark? It is impossible to see. In some circumstances, being in the complete dark can be dangerous. It can be frightening. It leaves us without an idea of where to go. However, all it takes to dispel the darkness is a small amount of light. For example, a small flame or flashlight provides enough light to see clearly. In the same way that a small light dispels the darkness, the light of the Bible breaks through the darkness of this world. It helps us see clearly and know how we are to live.
Just like a flashlight is enough to help you see through the darkness, the Bible can guide you and lead you, even in seasons of darkness. When you spend time reading and studying it, God directs, leads, and guides you. It illuminates your path, showing you where to walk every step of the way. We have to learn to follow the directions that it provides. As intently as we listen to the next direction from our GPS, we have to shift our focus to the Bible's instructions.
Take a few moments to memorize Psalm 119:105 throughout the following week. As you work to commit the verse to memory, remember to thank God for the gift of His Word, the Bible. Thank Him that He gave us His word to guide us and help us know how to live.
Oh, how I love your instructions!
I think about them all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are my constant guide.
Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,
for I am always thinking of your laws.
I am even wiser than my elders,
for I have kept your commandments.
I have refused to walk on any evil path,
so that I may remain obedient to your word.
I haven’t turned away from your regulations,
for you have taught me well.
How sweet your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey.
Your commandments give me understanding;
no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
I will obey your righteous regulations.
I have suffered much, O Lord;
restore my life again as you promised.
Lord, accept my offering of praise,
and teach me your regulations.
My life constantly hangs in the balance,
but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
The wicked have set their traps for me,
but I will not turn from your commandments.
Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart’s delight.
I am determined to keep your decrees
to the very end.
