Light

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Have you ever tried to walk through a dark, unknown room to find a light switch? You shuffle your feet in the hopes of not tripping and you wave your hands out in front of you in the hopes of not putting out an eye. It’s stressful and overwhelming but if you have your cell phone you can shine a little light on your path. You can’t see everything but you can see to safely make it to the other side. That’s how the scriptures work for your life. The truth of God’s word is the lamp to guide your feet along the path of life. Sometimes in big chunks, sometimes in individual steps but it should be your gps and flashlight all in one.

For nearly a decade of my young life I was involved in a very Baptist activity called Bible Drill. The point of Bible Drill is to help kids study, learn and memorize the Bible as a means of spiritual growth. It is literally a timed competition which may sound strange if you’ve never participated but it helped create a mental foundation of spiritual wisdom for my life. Kind of like a Rolodex of spiritual truths that can be accessed at anytime and that was the point. Yes, we were taught the basics of Christian truth but we were also given the weapons for the spiritual battles our leaders knew we would face.

Satan isn’t stupid. There have been very few times in my life when Satan has attacked me while I’m having my quiet time. During those moments, I’m in the Word which is referred to as the Sword of the Spirit and a sword is a powerful weapon against any enemy. It would be a silly time to attack me so he waits until I am alone or weak or rundown. (Side note: He did the same to Christ. See Matthew 4:1-11) That’s when he comes at me...when he thinks I’m the most vulnerable or unarmed and if I don’t have truths to fall back on I can become a sitting duck. Having scriptures you can recall in times of trouble or stress without needing to look them up can be such a life saver...literally.

One of my favorite verses during my adolescents and teen years was John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world.” Let me tell you how often this verse would pop in my mind at just the right time to remind me of the truth that while yes, the world can suck, Christ has overcome the world and is championing for me. After college and up until recently, Esther 4:14 became my battle cry, particularly the version that says, “Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created…” What a reassurance when you are in the unknown times of life...those moments when you feel stuck or behind somehow. For example, when I first started teaching I had to remind myself of this verse nearly everyday. I didn’t want to be a teacher but as the year went on I realized the truth of Esther. Maybe this wasn’t the moment I planned but it was the moment I was created for exactly. Now, in this phase of my life the Lord has brought me a new verse to learn, Isaiah 60:22, specifically part b, “At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen”. A new truth and promise to remind me in my impatience that the Lord is faithful and has a plan.

Nonetheless, I have been recently convicted that I do not put the same effort into memorizing scripture as I did as a child and part of the reason is that it just doesn’t come as easily anymore, which is why I should probably be doing it. So, I decided that memorizing a different verse every month of 2020 would be a great New Years’ resolution which was then solidified by Pastor David suggesting scripture memorization a recent sermon. I think I will do it as a series on here with a short blurb about what the Lord has taught me through that particular piece of text that month. I’m excited to add to my “artillery” as it were and look forward to all that the Lord will teach me.