Psalms 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” NASB
Wow!  God’s mornings are awesome; this one in North Texas is no exception!  The sun has not yet peeked its head over the horizon, so I am sitting drinking my coffee, praying, and meditating on God’s goodness.  As I read my Bible, I am inspired and filled with Hope! 

As I read and prayed, the following event came to mind with insight from the Lord:

When I was about nine years old, my family and my mother’s sister & brother’s families all went to the creek fishing and spent the day, and for some reason, everyone stayed to run the lines that had been set that night.   Imagine three or four husbands, wives, and a host of kids walking along a creek bank on a hot summer night.

There were not enough flashlights or lanterns. Therefore, some of us walked in the dark. My uncle decided he would lead the way, and we got lost.  He was carrying an old kerosene lantern that gave good light to the immediate area around your feet but not to the path ahead. 

Although he was born in the country, he had lived in Houston for many decades and was no longer a country boy but stubborn and determined.  Finally, after about an hour or more of going in circles and returning to the same place on the creek, he declared that the stream was flowing in the wrong direction.

Well, even at 9, I thought, that is impossible, and wondered why we did not just follow the creek.  He argued that he knew the way and why my Dad allowed him to lead, I still do not know, but he did.  The wives and some of the children began to panic. The wives began to say: “Let’s just wait until daylight, and then we can get out of here.”

His response was, NO!  So, we walked and walked and walked in circles for hours.  The kids knew better than to complain.  We endured the light situation; the occasional tree limb would be pulled back and then let go smack someone in the face or chest and a yelp, but no whining.  Through that event and others, I learned to read the stars and the terrain and have a keen sense of my surroundings, which proved valuable later in Vietnam and at other times.

That night two things were needed:

• We needed more light because we had a carbide headlamp that my dad wore and the kerosene lantern that my uncle carried.
• We needed a better guide who could read the stars, knew the terrain better, and was not so headstrong that they would insist and believe that the creek had somehow started flowing in the wrong direction.

When we finally came upon a landmark we recognized, we realized we had been only a few hundred yards from camp the entire time. Had we followed the creek in the beginning, we would have safely returned to camp hours earlier without all the frustration, confusion, and even fear in the hearts of some of the wives and children.

In life, we need a light that will clearly show where we are placing our feet and a light that will reveal the entire pathway ahead. That light is the Word of God.  If we have the Word of God filling our hearts and minds and walk according to that Word, we do not have to fear because we walk in the light, even in the darkness. We see the pitfalls, the turns, the possible dangers, and the guiding landmarks!

Thank you, Lord, for your Word that gives us light to enable us to see!  As you walk through your day and even your darkest hours, always trust the light of the word to provide you with a clear picture of the path. Remember God’s promise that He will NEVER Leave nor Forsake Us!

May the richest and best of the blessings of the LORD be yours.  Walk in the Light as He is in and is the Light!