Friends in Christ Weekly Message
July 13, 2002

By your words I can see where I'm going;
     they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
Psalm 119:105 (Message*)

Often the way ahead seems dark. We have trouble knowing which way to go. The psalmist is thanking God for illumining the way.

The "your words" can mean the canon of scripture. Although everything in the Bible was written long ago, those of us who have come to treasure it find it often speaks directly to our condition today. Humans face the same fundamental issues as we always have, although they are in different societal contexts. The truths of scripture are universal, applying to all times and conditions.

Sometimes people read the Bible and don't find the illumination. In this situation, the very words of the Bible sometimes seem like a "dark path." We can find an additional layer of meaning in this verse for this condition.

If we are separated from God, we may find the words of scripture don't seem to illuminate. We need the living Word of God present and active in our lives to "throw a beam of light" on the written word. The spiritual life requires a real relationship with God, not just a rote reading of words. This relationship allows the words of scripture to come alive for us.

May the paths of each of us be illumined by the words of scripture and a living relationship with Christ Jesus.

Bill Samuel

* The Message version © by Eugene H. Peterson.

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