S42P3 – Confessions of Psalm 119: God’s word is light
Psalm 119:129-130
Your statutes are wonderful; therefore, I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
It should have been an easy project. The desk was small and looked like every other one I had seen before. We took out all the pieces and made sure to find that little bag with the screws and pegs and such. Then we removed the instruction manual and started to look for the English section. That is when we discovered a problem. There was no English section to the instruction manual. In fact, the manual came in only one language, and we could not even figure out which language that was. Yes, the manual had diagrams but not for every step of the assembly process. In the end, we had what appeared to be a functioning desk but with several extra pieces left over. You know, some people walk through life the same way, floundering about without the instructions, just trying to build something that resembles life but not being able to do so.
When we read that God’s word gives light, what we are being told is that his word is illuminating. When we do not have his word, his instructions for how to live the life He designed for us, we are in the dark. We cannot see where the path is or how we should walk on it. We try to determine for ourselves what living should look like. We look for any guidance we can find on how to do life, and we are not sufficiently discerning when deciding whose example to follow. Our life goals get skewed because we do not consider the purposes that God has ordained; we only look to the goals we have determined would be best for us. What we are left with is a life that is lived for the glory of man, for the glory of self, and that leaves no mark on eternity. If we want to build our lives the right way, we must look to the word of God for the illumination we need. We cannot find that light anywhere else. Without it, we are wandering around blind and foolish.
With the right instructions, we would have been able to build a perfect desk. Every piece would have been put in place, and we would have had nothing left over. The desk would have looked just like the photo on the box, and it would have served its purpose fully. The same goes for the instruction manual God has given us for this life. With it, we can walk out our days here in a way that pleases God and serves his purposes for us. We need not question how we are to treat others or what basic ideals should drive our goals. If we can read and understand those instructions, and if we follow them, then life can be lived as God intended even though this world is anything but that. Father, thank You for the illumination that your word brings, and teach us to obey your instructions.