Following Christ

The Lord had recently laid on my heart a verse to meditate on:
Psalm 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"

I had heard this verse so many times, and in hearing it so much I had failed to see the full extent of its meaning. I realized that "a lamp unto my feet" referred to the foot lamps or lanterns of ancient times that shed just enough light to take one step at a time. The Lord desired to show me through this verse the importance of relying on Him for each step. You find by reading a previous post that I struggle with not taking God's will and running with it. I want to take it and do it for God, rather than with God.
Here were the thoughts that the Lord shared with me this morning:

In the Companion Bible I read-
"lamp: or lantern, for light on the path for the feet; not merely a light for our eyes"
An example of a light for our eyes would be in Acts 9:3 when God used a blinding light to open Saul's spiritual eyes.
I believe that the "light for our eyes" is a light that brings us to salvation, like a beacon, it calls us to come home from our wandering to our Father in Heaven.
I believe that the "light for our feet" is a light that enables us to follow after the Lord, it is the foot lamp or lantern that is given us after we receive God's salvation. This lamp is the Word of God, that shows us how we ought to walk.

The Lord began to show me some characteristics of the lamp that I did not see before.
1. The lamp gives us just enough light to find our way; not too much or too little.
God gives us just enough truth for the situation we need at hand.

2. The lamp is no good unless we us it.
We need to get into God's Word and glean the truth's that he has for us each day, otherwise, we'll be stumbling in the darkness.

3. Not having much light causes us to lend greater reliance on our light source.
When we have just enough light so we cannot see what's farther ahead but only that which is right in front of us; we become more reliant on our light source because we need to stay focused on it for each step.

4. Lastly, the oil in our lamps is the stored Word of God that we memorize and meditate on.
If we do not have God's word in us, God cannot bring it out as we need it. If a lamp does not have oil, it cannot be used to produce more light.

As the Lord showed me these truths I became aware of the need to not only follow the Lord day by day, but minute by minute, step by step, and allow Him to light the way for my path; instead of running ahead in the darkness thinking I know the way.

Tis So Sweet

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

And to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er Jesus,

Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

"Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus" was written in 1882 by Louisa M.R. Stead. As the story goes, Louisa had always felt a calling to be a missionary and go to China. But due to fragile health she was kept home in the US. She married Mr. Stead and had a daughter named Lily. When Lily was 4 yrs old the family went on vacation to a nearby beach. While there, relaxing and enjoying their vacation, they saw a young boy drowning in the ocean. Mr. Stead swam out and tried to rescue him, only he was pulled under by the boy and both Mr. Stead and the boy drowned as Louisa and her daughter watched from shore. Louisa was left without any means of support except for God's care. She and her daughter were in dire poverty - one day when there was no food in the house and no money to purchase any, Louisa opened the front door to find someone had left groceries and money sitting there for her. That same day she sat down and wrote "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus...". She later became a missionary to Africa, remarried and once again was forced to stay in the US due to her health. But once recovered she went back into the missionary field in Rhodesia and later died in Zimbabwe. Her daughter Lily married and became a missionary as well.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. "

~Matthew 6:33 & 34

Fall Enrichment Classes

Starting October 6th, an eight week sewing class
at a Middle & High School co-op.

Contact me for more info.