Wednesday, January 28, 2026

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119: 105, The Living Translation)

                 I know that I might be getting into my senior years when, for Christmas, my wife gave me several LARGE PRINT Sudoku puzzle books and one of my adult children and his wife gave me a new walking cane. I also know that I am getting older because I deeply appreciated both gifts. I also asked for hearing aids and have a hearing examination in February.

                My leg is still weak after the severe muscle pull, last autumn, so I am using the cane quite often, especially on slippery sidewalks and parking lots. It is nice to have the extra support and security. The cane is quite cool. It’s made of black metal and is collapsible and thereby foldable. But the best part is that there is a very bright LED flashlight in the handle of the cane. I can swivel that light in several directions. But it is meant to shine down on the ground in front of me if I am walking in the dark anywhere. Literally, it is a light for my path.

                We haven’t had a lot of light this year, so far; a lot of dull, dreary days, it seems. Even though the days are lengthening, it still gets dark early. I have had my SAD (Season Affective Disorder) light on for a period of time, every day. It helps but is not real sunlight.  

We need light in so many ways.

One source of spiritual Light is the Word of God, our Bible. The Psalmist is grateful for the inspiration that God’s Word has given him all through his life. Even when life could be difficult, he clung to God’s promises and assurances which  he found in our sacred writings.  As Paul wrote, “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (2 Timothy 3: 15 -17, The Message Bible) Our Bible is the critical source for building our faith, enriching our souls and leading us on paths of goodness. Spending time with God’s Word is edifying and constructive. As the Message Bible interprets today’s verse: “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back from living by your righteous order.”

This shining Light of God’s Word points us to an even greater light, Jesus Christ himself. “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12) He is our shining example of how we need to conduct ourselves each and every day. He illustrates for us in bright, unmistakable colours what brings us close to God. “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second {commandment} is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12: 30-31) Jesus shows us the way to do just that.

The Light of God’s Word and the Light of Jesus Christ will have one major effect, reflecting the Light ourselves. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5: 14 -16) Jesus bids us shine, you in your small corner and I in mine.  We may become someone’s SAD light, gleaming with hope, blessing, joy, peace, encouragement, forgiveness, and of course, love. We let our good deeds shine forth, not to put the spotlight on ourselves, but to be witnesses to the true sources of our light, the Word and Jesus and therefore God. “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.” (Philippians 2: 14 -16, The Message Bible)

Pass me my walking stick. There’s a pathway ahead.

 

Prayer:

                Shine Jesus, shine! Help us to read and understand the Word of God and know the right directions we must take. Shine, Jesus, shine! May we keep our eyes focused on Jesus as our bright example. Shine, Jesus, shine! Help us to reflect daily the Love of God through our words and actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.