A Light Unto My Path

Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. (Micah 7:8)

I had a dream that I was driving down a mountain highway in the dead of night. It was pitch black, so black that I had to switch my high-beam lights on in order to see the road ahead. There were no other cars nor buildings along the road to draw any light from. It was just me, in my car, on a sharply curving road in the utter darkness. Then all of a sudden, my lights went out. In a single instant, I went from cruising under the power of my car's headlights, to hitting the curb and then rolling over and over down the steep enbankment on the side of the road. In that moment of the dream, I was gripped with how dark the darkness that enveloped me actually was...and I realized that I was absolutely unable to navigate along the road without the assistance of light. I was completely and utterly dependent upon the light, but unfortunately it wasn't until the light went out that I truly saw that need.

I believe there is a very important principle that God was teaching you and I through this dream. The life of a follower of Christ is fraught with peril, if we stray slightly to the right or to the left, we have already left the path. Therefore, we cannot take a single step forward without God.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14)

The picture that Jesus paints for us here is that of two roads: one a highway, wide and easy, that leads to death; and another that is a rugged and difficult single lane mountain road that leads to life. Jesus is the entrance to that single lane road, the narrow gate. As Jesus says in John 14:6,  "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Most people believe that salvation, entering through the narrow gate, is the difficult part and after that salvation, they can experience a life of relative ease as they follow Christ. According to Jesus, that couldn't be farther from the truth. The gate is not just narrow, the way is hard that leads to life. It is not only that we need God for our salvation and then, once receiving that salvation, we are capable of walking the rest of the path under our own strength.

We are saved by God's grace; we walk in God's strength; we see by God's illumination; we rest in God's presence; and it is all for God's ultimate glory.

We cannot continue along the path God has laid out for each of us without Him guiding, strengthening, protecting, and sustaining us each and every step along the way. The life of a follower of Christ is one of total reliance upon God. In the same way that I needed my headlights to drive along that road and could not see without them, we absolutely need God if we want to live the life that we were created and saved for.

This new life, we have been given through our salvation, is wholly centered around knowing God.  Paul relates the life of every Christian to a race (Hebrews 12:1-3 and 2 Timothy 4:7-9). This is a race that we can not enter on our own ability, therefore we need Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). This is a race that we cannot complete under our own strength, therefore God's strength (Isaiah 40:31). When we finally cross the finish line there is nothing less that God, himself, waiting there for us (John 17:3). He is there every step of the way leading us closer and closer to the predominant goal in life, Himself. The beginning, middle, and end of our story is God. Have we been gripped by this realization?

God has graciously provided several gifts by which we are to be led along the path of righteousness to Himself:

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

A true follower of Jesus Christ is indwelled with the Holy Spirit. What a marvelous honor and gift that has been given to each of us. The Spirit guides the us along the path; when our hearts stray, He convicts us back onto the path; and is constantly preparing our hearts and minds to hear the Word of the LORD and to act upon it. We have a guide, the very presence of God, dwelling in us. The Christian does not have God just walking with them, but living within them for every step of the way along the path of life. Do we realize how absolutely incredible this is? John 15:7, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. There is real power residing inside of each of us through the Holy Spirit. Let us, therefore, think, live, and walk along the narrow road in that power.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 
(Psalm 119:105)

God's Word, the Bible, is essential to the life of every Christian. As we walk along road that leads to life, we must have a light to show us the way. That illuminating light is the Word of God. The very same voice that brought the universe into existence is that voice that speaks to each follower of Christ through his Word.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Word of God is the foundation for our relationship with God. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24). The Word of God reveals to us who God is, and what he commands of us. These words give the follower of Christ direction, focus, and purpose each and every day. Everything is effected by His word. What excuse do we have for not earnestly pursuing God through His word? No matter the excuse, it is not good enough. The Word of the LORD is too valuable to be second to anything in our lives. What is more important than knowing God? What else really matters? Therefore, Treasure it. Read it. Love it. Be Transformed by it.

As we embark upon the life-long odyssey that is the call of every true follower of Christ, we must wholeheartedly embrace, trust, and rely upon God. As I stated above:

We are saved by God's grace; we walk in God's strength; we see by God's illumination; we rest in God's presence; and it is all for God's ultimate glory.

In the same way that we all must have headlights to drive at night, we must rely upon God for everything if we are to truly live the life of a follower and walk upon the narrow road that leads to life. There can be no denying our complete helplessness and weakness, and there is definitely no denying God's sufficiency and strength. 

The real question is this: Will you and I choose to realize and embrace our utter need to depend on God for everything before or after the lights go out?