Illuminating! Unchanging! Commanding!
“Your word is a lamp to my feet
(The Psalms 119: 105 NASB)
And a light to my path.”
This morning as my husband was leaving the house early, on his way to work, he planned to stop by Ron’s, his barber, for a haircut. Now, if you know my husband (and if you know me), we are blessed with the thickness of hair. So, even though my husband’s hair was not hanging down in his eyes this morning, the thickness of his hair heating up his head compelled him to get a haircut (a hair thinning of sorts) this morning before work.
As usual each morning, my husband was listening to his Bible app, focused on the recording of the Bible as he brushed his teeth, put on his work boots, and prepared to leave the house. Each morning as he leaves the house, I am given a few moments of ‘listening’ to a portion of God’s Word, invited into my husband’s morning Bible-reading time. Now, my husband may use more of his day for studying God’s Word, but for a few minutes, we listen together as he prepares to leave the house.
In the longest book of the Bible, the psalmist David reminds us of the truth that God’s Word is to light our way as we go throughout our day. We need to start each day in God’s Word of Truth!
As we do, we are told that our path will be illuminated so that we will not stumble as we go. From the moment my husband places his work boots on his feet until the time he lays his head upon his pillow at night—
The Word of God shines—THE LIGHT OF GOD on our daily-path, illuminating the way we are to walk.
THINK ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT STATEMENT!
In the final book of the Old Testament, God’s prophet Malachi writes to the people of Israel, explaining the sinfulness of the people:
- Of the priests &
- Of the family members
Then after the long list of sins, God’s prophet proclaims the words of the LORD of hosts:
“For I, the LORD, do not change;
(The Book of Malachi 3: 6 NASB)
therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Most everything we know—changes.
Our children are born as babies, and then they grow, becoming toddlers, young, elementary children & teens, and then maturing into young adults.
Our own body changes as we go from young adulthood into middle age & older adults, and then maturing into elderly adults.
Age has a way of walking us from birth to death. There is a saying: ‘The day we were born is the day we begin to die.’ Yes, while quite morbid in thought, that does not negate the truth found in the statement. Nevertheless, even though we change as we grow, the Bible is clear—
The Word of God proclaims—THE LORD IS UNCHANGING, ever-revealing the way we are to go.
THINK ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT STATEMENT!
Thirdly, not only is God’s Word a powerful illumination for our daily walk & also unchanging in the LORD’S guidance and protection, but the Word of God is also commanding in the way we are to live throughout this day.
In the apostle’s letter to a chosen lady and her children, John is led by the Holy Spirit to write—
“Now I ask you, lady,
(The Second Letter of John, verses 5-9 NASB)
not as though I were writing to you a new commandment,
but the one which we have had from the beginning,
that we love one another.
And this is love,
that we walk according to His commandments.
This is the commandment,
just as you have heard from the beginning,
that you should walk in it.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world,
those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.
This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Watch yourselves,
that you do not lose what we have accomplished,
but that you may receive a full reward.
Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,
does not have God;
the one who abides in the teaching,
he has the Father and the Son.”
We must choose JESUS’ way!
We must abide in JESUS every day!
We must follow JESUS!
HE IS THE ONLY WAY!
What does a life of surrender, of following JESUS look like?
- Showing Love & Forgiveness.
- Walking Joyfully with Jesus in Obedience.
- Demonstrating Peacefulness.
- Always Responding to others in Patience & Kindheartedness.
- Showing others God’s Goodness.
- Walking in Faithfulness.
- Reacting to everyone in Gentleness.
- Remaining self-controlled within our humanness.
AS WE—
- Seek GOD more than anything else!
- Love GOD more than anyone else!
- Follow GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT more than everyone else!
Not loving the sinfulness of others BUT LOVING OTHERS AS JESUS taught us!
Watching ourselves, remembering we are SINNERS SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD!
- Recalling we are to remain in GOD’S HOLY WORD, HIS LOVE LETTER, HIS TEACHING!
- Rejoicing as we remember “the one who abides in the teaching, he has the Father and the Son.” (The Second Letter of John 9b NASB)
- Knowing as we abide in HIM, we are promised eternity in HIS PRESENCE!
1st—
The Word of God shines—THE LIGHT OF GOD, illuminating the way we are to walk.
2nd—
The Word of God proclaims—THE LORD IS UNCHANGING, ever-revealing the way we are to go.
3rd—
The Word of God reveals—JESUS’ LOVE LETTER, lovingly given directly to each one of us.
THINK ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE STATEMENTS!