As we set out on this year (not so new anymore) you need God’s guidance like never before. Me too and until recently, my close friends used to call me a “ten-year development plan.” You may guess where such a nickname came from. It was from my obviously obnoxious habit of making plans for the next decade. And not general plans either, detailed ones. And then, one day, God revealed how His word is the lamp for our feet alone.
He deliberately did not make His word a floodlight to my highway or expressway. Let me tell you, that changed my perspective completely. That reminded me of the oil or kerosine lamps of the old days. They could only allow you to see one or two feet around the glow of the lamp. As soon as I understood He serves as the lamp for our feet alone, I saw what needed to happen.
I had to be on the move in order for His word to light my path. Because His Word is the lamp for our feet alone, not to the entire journey. That is a mighty revelation. If you are not moving, either in your secular life or your spiritual life, His word is useless to you. It is like saying that God will bless the work of your hand and you are not doing anything tangible.
You do not present any work in your hand for Him. Merciful as He is, what is there for Him to bless when you are idle? Similarly, you have to be on the move for you to derive any benefit from the word of God. So, ask yourself, am I on the move or am I expecting God to come and move me forward?
One Day At A Time
Unfortunately, many of us believers are waiting for God to move us forward. This does not make us lazy, just that when we consider our situations as a whole, they can be overwhelming. And that often has the effect of paralyzing us into inaction with no movement that God can illuminate. That is why Jesus cautioned us to live life one day at a time and take no thought for tomorrow. I believe you start to see the problem you could be in if you take the long view of life.
Until you see that God’s word is the lamp for our feet alone, life can be quite overwhelming. And I have no doubt that you may be in the same position I was in before God opened my eyes. You are not moving forward with your life because you take the long view. While there is nothing wrong per se with the long view, it is not Jesus’ recommendation for our lives.
In fact, living as if you are in charge of tomorrow smacks of a lack of faith. We have to learn to leave our future securely in God’s hands; that is faith. So, in faith take that first step, even if it is a tiny one. You may start school or start selling something little. As you do so, God will come alongside and shine His lamp on your feet.
Only then will you see the next step you can safely take. Because, don’t forget, his word is the lamp for our feet alone. Otherwise, you only see your feet at a standstill, with no forward movement. God is not going to show you too many yards ahead because your feet are not yet there.
To Experience God As The Lamp For Our Feet Alone, We Keep Moving
Even when the lamp appears dim and you cannot see the road at all, move. It is an act of faith and as you move, the lamp will once again shine bright. That is what faith does to our lives. Dim things turn bright, clarity replaces confusion. As we keep moving, we start to experience the lamp for our feet alone.
Or as the bible says in Proverbs, the path of the just is like the shining sun. It shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. There is coming a perfect day for you and me, but we have to be just. And that is another way of saying we are people of faith; it takes faith to be like our God, a just God. That is when He will serve as the lamp for our feet alone.
The more you think about it, the more you see why God does not make His word a floodlight. First, a floodlight will light the path of the one who is not seeking. And the bible makes it clear that it is only when we seek Him with diligence that we find Him. Can you imagine God allowing those who are not seeking to find Him just because His word is a floodlight?
That would be so unfair to you who are making the effort, don’t you think? And we know that God is a just God, so he makes His word the lamp for our feet alone. Secondly, those who are not searching might end up grumbling if God made His word a floodlight. Surely, you recall how man complained about the “woman you gave me” when he sinned in the Garden of Eden.
And that is because God gave Adam a wife without a request from the man. From that time, God determined we must ask before we receive. Similarly, unless the word of God is the lamp for our feet alone, some might complain. They would, like Adam say, “it is the word you forced me to read.” God cannot have that, so He says if you seek me, you will find me.
Will you seek Him today? If so, you will find His word is the lamp for our feet alone. Happy journeying
Maranatha!