Light for Our Path

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 KJV

For those of you who do not know, our daughter-in-law Melinda has been battling with ovarian cancer over the last two and a half years. Melinda recently finished her third round of chemotherapy, but after experiencing severe back pain she was admitted to the hospital over a week ago. After many tests, the doctors discovered that, the chemo had weakened the bone structure of her back leading to a fracture. Then this Tuesday, they did surgery to stabilize it, and also took a biopsy while they were in there. Yesterday the report came back positive for cancer, and we would appreciate everyone’s prayers for Melinda. Sometimes during these last two weeks it has felt like we were, wandering in a dark cave, with no assurance of finding a way out. But during my quiet time this morning, I came across today’s verse, and it occurred to me, that the writer of this Psalm may have also been facing a dark situation and like us, was looking for a light for his path. Imagine the joy they discovered when they found that what they needed was right in front of them, in the Word of God. During the dark and lonely times in our lives it is easy to be attracted to things like sporting events, parties, or social media in an effort to distract ourselves. But the Word of God is the true light and always available. Any other light is at best only temporary, like a flashlight whose battery is nearly spent, it soon flickers and goes out. None of us knows how long the darkness we are facing will last, but we can depend on one thing. The word of God is a light for our path, and no matter how long our night, it will shine on and on!

God knows that we can’t generate that light within ourselves, instead He wants us to run to His word, where we can find there an inexhaustible, immeasurable power source. In the darkest places of our lives, His word will shine, and not only for our own path, but also for the pathways of those around us whose flashlights are already going dead.

Photo by Simon Migaj on Pexels.com

Prayer: Father, help me not to look to the temporary lights of this world, but to completely rely on Your Word, because it is a light that no darkness will ever be able to put out!

Is He Worthy?

I was so blessed by this new release by Sounds Like Reign that I had to share it with you for Sunday Praise. I also have a prayer request for myself. Last week I had oral surgery which resulted in damage to my throat. Speaking is difficult and singing painful. I am seeing the surgeon to see what he recommends on Tuesday. Have a blessed Sunday all!

Praying for Others

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.  He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ Luke 18:1-3 ESV

For the last 23 years in nursing home ministry God has helped me to learn a lot about prayer. Though you may have never set foot in a nursing home you will discover that prayer requests are remarkably the same everywhere. People in nursing homes battle with depression, fatigue and loneliness around the holidays like everyone else. As an outreach worker you often ask yourself; “What is my small faith in the face of such needs?” Jesus gives us some answers in the story that He told about a widow and a judge. P1040884

First, she built a relationship with the judge by going to see him every day. Every day as he sipped his morning cup of tea, he would hear a knock. When he went to open his door there the widow would be again asking; “Give me justice in my dispute with my enemy!”  Maybe he even began to anticipate her visit and prepare for it. In our case we pray, not to some uncaring local magistrate; but to our Father in heaven. He is loving, merciful and kind. Why not begin where the widow began? Why not come every morning with expectant faith; knowing that Jesus is eagerly waiting to hear our knock on His door. Learning to pray for others means persistently building our relationship with God and then trusting Him to meet their needs.