It would be easy to lose one’s train of thought on such a subject as my subject above, so I will seek to use Bible references to show just how much we need the Scriptures. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The Book of Psalms has many such truths, so it is important that we seek to learn some of these great truths. In a world that emphasizes the importance of human efforts, goals, aspirations and victories, it is important that we do not forget the things that are more important than the physical or mental attainments of humanity. Yes, I believe in physical exercise. For that reason, I have walked four miles a day for almost fifty years, because it does help me to keep my body in better condition, so I am with you if you believe in doing something good to keep the body functioning properly. The problem with most people, however, is that they do not seem to place much emphasis on the spiritual side of human life, and there is a spiritual side. Some, however, do place emphasis on that side, but with the wrong actions or dedication to the wrong things. If the Bible is not God’s message to humanity, then many of us are riding on a sinking ship! But I am convinced, after many years of reading and studying the Bible, that God has sent us a message in this Book to show us how to know Him, and how to enjoy a right relationship and fellowship with Him.
If God’s Word truly is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, then we would do well to keep it close by, yea, even in our hearts and minds! In our verse from Psalms, given above, the psalmist says that the Word of God is a lamp for his feet and a light for his path. How would any of us know whether or not this could be true for us too, unless we have spent some time in reading and studying God’s Word? Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Some people say, “Oh, I am not any good at remembering what the Bible says, so I do not try to memorize any of it.” There is a problem here, for many of these same people can name every popular sports hero, or every popular talk show and what it presents etc. The problem is often not the memory, but rather the desire to remember! If a young lady writes a letter to her boyfriend, he is not likely to forget the nice things that she has said, because they are important to him. We need to place an every greater importance on what our Creator, and heavenly Father for the saved, has said to us in His book, the Bible. It is not impossible for us to remember what is really important to us, so perhaps the problem is the fact that the Word of God is not all that important to many people!
If we are to use the Bible for a lamp unto our feet, then that means we need to have its words close to our hearts and in charge of our “steps” in the spiritual sense. Most parents would not think of keeping their children out of school, in fact, the state will see to it that such does not happen, yet in the spiritual realm, many people do not see any importance in helping their children learn the truths of the Word of God. Some parents have said to me, “Oh, I will let my children get old enough to decide for themselves as to whether or not to read the Bible, or go to church.” The fact is, that is a copout, for we do not do this kind of thing about learning to read, write or solve mathematical problems. The logic is off center; the thinking is incorrect, but the devil is a master as causing many parents to do exactly as I have described here. Many say, “Oh, we do not know that the Bible is true, so we just do not read it.” Who knows if the “Dick and Jane” story books are true? Actually, we know that they are not necessarily true, yet children read similar books. (Dick and Jane stories were in my early school days many years ago.) So, it might be worth a thought for all of us to consider that it is very easy to allow the Word of God to have less than first place in our “reading lives”, so to speak. There must be some reason why so many people are practicing such wicked things. Could it be that we have gotten away from the one Book that will show us how to know God and obey His truth?
By J. Briggs King, Rainsville, AL (678) 451-0921