THE WONDROUS WORD OF GOD By Pastor Scott Henry

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

What guides your decision making?  Is it your feelings, personal preferences, or maybe the popular opinion in our culture?  Many who profess to be Christians make decisions in this manner, but neither feelings, preferences, nor popular opinion are reliable in making decisions because they err and constantly change.  We need something sure, dependable, unchanging and constant — we need something that will guide us infallibly.  What we need is God’s Word as the psalmist wrote, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).  And again, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:160).  And so, the psalmist wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).  The idea of a pathway through a dark forest helps us understand our need for a lamp that brings light.  You see, we face many dangers walking down a dark pathway.  There’s the danger of being disoriented and losing our sense of direction, especially if the path is not familiar.  So, without a light to guide us, we will get lost.  

This also applies to our spiritual walk.  There is a lot of spiritual darkness in this life because our pathway is in the midst an evil, sinful, fallen world.  All around us are threats to our faith. The world, the flesh, and the Devil continually tempt us to depart from the path of righteousness and serve our own lusts.  We are constantly in danger of becoming disoriented spiritually and stumbling into the pit of sin by disobeying God.  Therefore, it’s important to have a light to guide us in our pilgrimage, and the only light which can give us guidance is the Word of God.  God’s Word is necessary because it alone can teach us how to live and how to be saved (1 Cor. 2:6-13).  God’s Word is sufficient in that it tells us all we need to know for life and godliness in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:14-17).  Scripture is clear, which means the saving message of God’s redemption can be understood by all who hear it (Deut. 30:11-14).  Scripture is authoritative, which means God’s Word stands above all earthly powers (Psalm 138:2).  On every matter in which the Bible speaks, the last word always goes to Scripture, not to councils, catechisms, science, human experience, feelings, or preference, but to the Word of God.

Look to the light of God’s Word this day and always because, “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes…” (Psalm 19:8).  God’s Word alone is a trustworthy guide because, “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6).  And Proverbs 30:5 declares, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”  Only Scripture can direct the believer to clean living: “How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9).  Only Scripture can teach us how to avoid sinning against God: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).  Only Scripture can give us sure footing in this dark world as Habakkuk wrote: “The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (Hab. 3:19).  God’s Word is needed, necessary, enough, understandable, and final.  So, do you say with the psalmist, “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word” (Psalm 119:16).