Psalm 119:105-112

Scripture:
Your word is a lamp to my feet 
      and a light to my path. 
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, 
      to keep your righteous rules. 
I am severely afflicted; 
      give me life, O LORD, according to your word! 
Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD, 
      and teach me your rules. 
I hold my life in my hand continually, 
      but I do not forget your law. 
The wicked have laid a snare for me, 
      but I do not stray from your precepts. 
Your testimonies are my heritage forever, 
      for they are the joy of my heart. 
I incline my heart to perform your statutes 
      forever, to the end.  -Psalm 119:105-112, ESV



Observation:
-God's words lights the path before us so that we can find our way.
-It is God who gives us life
-God's testimonies are our heritage and joy.

NIght Light at Crater Lake. ©Deb Davis 2013

Application:
Have you ever tried to walk in the woods at night without a flashlight?  Or stumbled through the house when the power has gone out?  I do not like either situation.  When we go camping I always make sure I have a good working flashlight for those inevitable middle of the night jaunts.  In the dark woods my imagination runs goes crazy with the possiblities of what lurks in the night unseen, not to mention the stumps and logs one can trip over.  Oh, but shine a flashlight or sit around the campfire and I feel safe, at least as far as I can see.

That is the vision I always get with the first verse of this passage.  Without God's word we stumble in the dark; we trip over logs and fear what lies in the shadows.  God's word shines brightly into this dark world, it shows us where to safely set our feet along the path and removes our fears.  Do Not Fear.  How often those words occur in the Bible.  I suppose people are just prone to fear.  On our own our hearts incline that direction.  The picture I am left with in these verses is the strong difference between a heart that is inclined towards God's word and one that is not.  

Incline my heart to perform Your statutes O LORD, forever, to the end.

Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb