May 7, 2012 … God’s Word – A Light Unto Our Path

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 25 … To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 29 … To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 33 … To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 36 … To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 39 … To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Highlight Passage #1: Psalm 25: 4-5 … 4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 

My Journal for Today: Five more Psalms to read in my chronological reading plan today; and after reading them, I was taken back to the first of the five, Psalm 25, verses 4-5, where, early in today’s study, this passage was the one upon which I would journal this day.

The song writer, again, is David; and the King here (in Ps. 25) is writing lyrics which express his trust in his [and our] God; and from whence does this trust come? Well, from today’s highlight passage, we read that David was a seeker after God’s way in life; and he found his guide path by being taught and led by God’s truth. And where do we find God’s truth? Well, we seek out and find God’s way by being led by His word, … that most available light for our path in life.

And as I read today’s highlight passage, two more formerly memorized passages bubbled up out of my consciousness; and I’ll leave it to you to seek them out and meditate on their content: … Proverbs 3: 5-6 and Psalm 119: 105. And in these two passages of Scripture – God’s truth found in His word – we see that God’s word is where we find the light for our path and the hope for our lives (temporally and eternally).

That was God’s message to Joshua as well in Joshua 1: 8, … that when we stay in God’s word and let His truth light our path, we will find God’s successful and fruitful way in life; and I’m sure, my dear one reading here, that is your desire in life as it is mine.

If you’ve ever read my blogging for any period of time, you may remember the word picture/puzzle I often use when I teach about finding God’s way in life; and it has to do with traversing a mine field, which I picture as our life in these troubled times. Don’t you think life today can be pictured as a mine-field, wrought with all kinds of “I.E.D.s” [i.e., improvised explosive devices], which are often hidden from view in life? And it’s so easy to trip on one of them and have life just blow up in our face. Do I sense an “Amen?!”

Well, in relating this word picture/puzzle, my question for the seeker in life is as follows: ”In traversing the mine-fields of life, would you rather have to go it alone … or would you rather follow someone who could lead you, knowing exactly where all the mines were?” … Well, DUH!!! … Of course, the answer is a no-brainer!! … And so, in picturing life as a minefield, I’ve decided to heed the advice of Jesus to His disciples in Luke 9: 23, which may be the most oft-quoted verse I share in my blogs: If anyone would come after Me, … let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

And what is the most direct method for following Jesus in life? Well, I’m probably preaching to the choir here; but of course, it’s to use the map that Christ has lain out for us to traverse this mine field we call life; and that is His word, … our Bible. I think this is really all I need to say … again … in this place. And, yes, … I keep coming back to it … over and over and over again.

Years ago, I had a mentor who told me, “Bill, if you take Psalm 119 and Joshua 1: 8 to heart and really get God’s word buried in your mind and heart, you’ll have a so much more fruitful life with so much less stress than if you try to go through life on your own.”  Well, I followed him into God’s word; and I’ve been into this light of truth, just as I was this morning, ever day since (and that was well over 20 years ago).

God’s word is truly a light unto our path; and it’s my source of hope, just as it was for King David; … and as I pray it is for you.

My Prayer Today: … Lord, … oh how I pray that any reader here can find the light for life’s path as I have found in Your word. Amen