One Next Step at a Time

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

We beg of God to tell us the future or fix our problems, but seldom ask Him where we stand or what to do next.  Maybe because we think we know or can figure it out ourselves... or we really don't want to do what we know He is telling us!

The Psalmist says God's Word is a lamp unto my feet.  Scripture makes it very clear where we are at right now.  It shows us what sin and righteousness look like.  It gives us a clear understanding of what we look like to God and what He expects.  Although that light can be brighter than what we prefer to see, it certainly allows us to own the truth about ourselves. 

Scripture is also good at showing us the next step we need to take.  Whether it may be the step of repentance, forgiveness, obedience, discipline, love, faith, or hope... God's Word always has one for us to take.  Usually that light only shows us the next step, even though we prefer to see the whole path ahead. But God doesn't use a high beam ... He provides us a flashlight beam. 

Now if we are looking for what's down the road or what's behind us, it will seem like Scripture is silent... But if we trust God with who we are and where we are, and are willing to take the next step, He will light the way.  That means we need His Word in our lives every day. No to make us smarter or more blessed (though those happen), but to help us with our next step. 

So open up His Word and start listening to Him, and take the next step.  Repent, be baptized, forgive, love another, listen, pray, work hard, believe, trust, wait... Whatever the next step is, follow the lamp's light.

You will get to the destination much better.

Freedom Doesn't Mean Unrestricted

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. Psalm 119:45

Funny how we associate freedom with a lack of rules.  But that's not how I grew up in my house...

Growing up, my mom made it very clear.  Kids who follow the rules get to play ... (I know, that may seem obvious to some parents, but that's not necessarily the standard anymore so I figured it was worth repeating!)  So if we didn't do our chores .. no play time.  If we didn't obey the rules of the house ... we sat inside watching the kids playing outside.  Pretty simple actually.  And of course, we started dreaming of the day when we would no longer be restricted by her rules ... we would be free!  We would have much more opportunity and not have to worry about the boundaries.  I couldn't WAIT to have my own apartment where I could leave the room a mess and STILL go out with friends!!!

Of course, it was only AFTER leaving the house that you discover how much freedom you had.  The rules were not difficult (dare I say.. they were actually GOOD rules), and the freedom to do what we wanted came with just staying in those guidelines.  Having my own place to live seemed like more freedom, but what I found is it took MORE TIME, MORE WORK, and MORE Rules  (I didn't know about "tenant rules" until moving in ... wow, my moms rules were much easier!).

All that to point out that Rules didn't mean restriction... they were the mechanism for privilege!

God is an even better parent than my mother (sorry, mom).  He didn't create rules for restriction, He created them for maximum freedom.  Using His Word as our boundaries opens the door for more freedom in our lives, less stress, less worry, more blessing.  In His Kingdom, those who desire to follow His ways find more freedom to live the way they were designed, without carrying baggage from the past or growing cancer in our souls.  His commands are not restrictive, their directive --- sending us forward in life to the place He has designed for us to be. 

If you're looking for more freedom, seek God's precepts, obey His commands, search His Word.  It may feel like restriction at the beginning (all discipline does), but the freedom that comes in the end will be far more worth it.

Because in His Kingdom - Kids who follow the rules find more privilege to play!