A Lamp – Life is like that sometimes. (3)

Part 2.  A Lamp – Life is like that sometimes. (3)                              

We continue with RiSiKiLi−

                       You know− Read it, Study it, Know it, Live it.  

Have you ever felt as if you were stumbling around in a dark wilderness? <> Life is like that sometimes.

 

When God directed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, He literally illuminated their way with a pillar of fire through the night. 

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people (Exodus 13:21-22).

The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire were the manifest

presence of God showing the multitude the way through the wilderness. They didn’t have the written Word back then, other than the tablets with God’s Commandments. 

 

In like manner, the Word of God is the manifest presence of God for us today, showing the way through the wilderness called life. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit guiding us as well, but without knowledge of the Word, it’s hard to correctly discern the voices that may speak into our souls and spirits. 

I once heard this description of a person without God or knowledge of the Bible: It would be like a blind man in an unfamiliar pitch black dark room, looking for a black cat that is not there.  How undone is that?!  

Every life will bring its share of difficulties. To face trials time and time again without the hope of Christ and the light of His Word would certainly be a frustrating and futile existence. Oh, things may go smooth for a while but we can bet that one day the hammer’s gonna to fall. 

For the discouraged man or woman, the psalmist writes, Oh, send Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the alter of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God (Psalm 43:3-4 NKJV). 

 

The psalmist is fervently acknowledging the need for God. And he’s appealing for the light and truth that comes from God. Then when this is achieved, he knows he will have experienced God Himself−referring to God as my exceeding joy. He will then gratefully praise Him. 

Today let’s praise God for the light of His Word that helps us navigate through the wilderness areas of life. Yesterday’s horrific killings of two young journalists in my own state has pitched many people into a wilderness experience.

When we turn to God’s Word to help us navigate through such trauma, we’ll be stronger when we come out on the other side. And as we allow the Holy Spirit to comfort as only He can, we can find peace.

Please pray with me that God will take this tragic and evil event and use it for His glory in the building of His Kingdom. Only God can do such a thing. And let’s pray that in our own wilderness experiences we’ll turn to God’s Word and to Him in prayer as a first resort.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and may God abundantly bless you as you seek to know Him better and allow His Word to help you navigate through the wilderness of life.

 

Let's end today's thought and do as the psalmist. Let's praise our God as we enjoy this beautiful song from Psalm 43:3-6 "To God, My Exceeding Joy" <>   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhxmNOGII5k

©Connie Wohlford

 

 

 

A Lamp – Let there be light. (1)

Part 2.  A Lamp – Let there be light. (1)                               

                                

We continue with RiSiKiLi−

                       You know− Read it, study it, know it, live it.  

In my previous post, we looked at hearing God speak through His Word, continuing the greater theme of knowing God’s plan for one’s life. Now today let’s consider God’s provision of light so we can find our way through the plan He called us to follow. 

Psalm 119:105 states, Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. NASV

When was the last time you walked somewhere in total darkness with only a flashlight? That flashlight would light up the area where you put your feet. If you’re a wilderness camper you know this experience well. This is like the lamp in the psalm.

Have you walked through darkness with only the light from a lantern? It illuminates the immediate area around you. This is like the light in the psalm.

We need both kinds of light along our path of life and God’s Word provides this. The lamp and light don’t show much of what’s ahead or around us. In the same way we can’t see the thoughts and motives of a person sitting right next to us. That’s where trust comes in. Faith in God and confidence that He has our best interest in mind is essential. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that faith pleases God. Let’s make Him smile today by trusting the light and lamp of His Word to show us the way. 

The truth of Psalm 119:105 should cause each of us, who’s a follower of Jesus, to immerse ourselves into the Words of our Creator.   

Do we really believe the Word of God will light our way along this path of life? How do our actions answer this question? For most of us our actions will answer, “Sometimes I believe that and sometimes I don’t.” 

We need to know for a fact, in the very depths of our being (that is in our spirits), that this passage of Scripture is Truth, and allow it to change our lives. I’m talking again about revelation understanding—the knowing that this passage is true for each of us every minute of every day of our lives. 

The first recorded words spoken by God Himself are found in the third verse of Genesis 1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. ⁴ And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:1-5 NKJV

 

SO—God’s very first recorded words were, Let there be light. Of course, He was referring natural light. But how interesting this is, in relation to our topic today, that these were our Creator’s first words.

Every believer can walk daily in God’s light. That is, God’s spiritual illumination. When we’re in darkness, it’s difficult to find our way.

When was the last time you stumbled on something unexpected while walking through a dark room? Every morning we wake up to a new day, not knowing what it will hold. Without God’s illumination it would be like waking up in a dark, unfamiliar place, unable to see obstacles that may cause us to stumble or pits into which we might plunge.

God knew from the beginning that mankind would need physical light in order to make it in the world. And He knew we’d need spiritual light in order to live in relationship with Him, walking out abundant life on earth and then on into eternity. 

Speaking of eternity—we who are in Christ will then experience the most splendid light of all. In John’s description of the New Jerusalem, he says, But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.  Revelation 21: 22 – 24 NKJV   

WOW—does that not make us just plum homesick!?   

But for now, let’s walk in the light of God’s Word. We’ll certainly have fewer bloody knees and sprained wrists. 

© Connie Wohlford

Scripture passages from: https://www.biblegateway.com/