“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

God’s Word is represented as a lamp for the feet.  It is a “lamp”, not a blazing sun, nor even a lighthouse–but a plain, common lamp or lantern which one can carry about in the hand. It is a lamp “for the feet,” not throwing its beams far and wide, but shining its light only on the little bit of road ahead on which the Christian’s feet are walking.  The law of divine guidance is, “Step by step”. One who holds up a lantern on a dark village-road at night, sees only one step before him. If he takes that step, the lantern also moves forward, making the next step plain. In this way, finally he reaches his destination in safety, without once stepping into darkness. The whole way was shown to him, but only one single step at a time. This illustrates the usual method of God’s guidance.

If this is the way God guides, it should never be hard for us to find His direction. It never lies far away, inaccessible to us–but is always near. It never lies out of our sight, in the darkness, for God never puts our call of work where we cannot see it. The thing that we think may be our work–but which is still lying in obscurity and uncertainty, is not our work yet. The duty for the very moment is always clear–and that is all that we need to do; for when we do the little that is clear, we will carry the light on, and it will shine on the next step.  On the other hand failure to walk in the light already provided will ensure no more light is received.  Most of us are impatient with this kind of guidance and would prefer that the Lord light up the entire path to be taken like an airport runway.  But our loving heavenly Father who knows our fleshly tendency towards independence, will have nothing of it.  For the moment we see the whole path, we would undertake to walk on our own, thinking that we now know the road to be taken; and all the careful cultivation of dependence on Him would be destroyed in an instant.  King Saul had to forfeit his kingdom because he would not wait patiently in dependence for God’s guidance through the prophet Samuel in 1 Sam 13.

Application: Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). And again; “He that follows Me shall not walk in darkness” (John 8:12). Prompt, unquestioning, undoubting obedience to Christ takes all the confusion out of the Christian life and gives clear direction and unbroken peace. If we are walking and following Christ closely, we shall never be left in ignorance of what He wants us to do.  If we are fumbling in the dark, wondering what the will of God is for our lives, turn to His Word and let the light of His Word come on for He has a plan for each of our lives, a plan with a future and with a hope, which only the Word of God can light up for us to find.