As the weather begins to turn warmer and spring starts to poke its head around the corner, we always find ourselves turning our attention to our landscaping. How can we improve it? What changes can we make to enjoy it more? This year we’ve made several solar additions to our backyard: solar lamps to light the stairs from the deck and solar twinkle lights for the prayer garden. These solar lights are in large contrast to some neighboring lights that are mounted to the front and sides of the garage. Those lights serve to light up the entire driveway. They are spotlights, not lamps. A spotlight’s purpose is to illuminate a large area, much like the headlights on your car. A lamp is meant to only illuminate the area close to you; the solar lights on our stairs only illuminate each step along the path.

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

The Psalmist described the word of God, the Holy Scriptures, as a lamp, not a spotlight. Oftentimes we want God to tell us His grand plan for our lives; we want to know the bigger picture or what’s going to happen to us or for us years down the road. But the Scriptures are not described as a spotlight, but as a lamp that serves to guide our feet and light our paths. This does a few things. One, it keeps us close to the Word of God.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8a)

When you are close to a lamp you can see things very clearly, but you must be close. If you move away from that lamp you very quickly move into more and more darkness. A lamp is not meant to light up an entire room—it serves to light up a specific area. When you are using the headlights on your car, even though things in the distance are illuminated, they may be unclear. A lamp is better for clarity.

The second thing the Scriptures do as a lamp: keep us dependent on God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

What’s the most misunderstood or mysterious book in the Bible? Revelation! The book which concerns the future. Revelation is like the headlights on your car—this book is concerned with the end of times and what the future will be like. It hasn’t happened for us yet and it remains the most mysterious and misunderstood book in the Bible. It’s difficult for us in our limited minds to understand the mysteries of the future. Thank God the entire Bible is not like Revelation. We draw near to the Word for better understanding just like we draw near to a lamp to see better.

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

God doesn’t promise to reveal every detail of our lives and what we should do, but He promises to be with us. The Scriptures are not headlights to illuminate a great distance in our lives; they are described as a lamp to light our next steps. Lean into the Light of the Word and be dependent on God for each step along the journey.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.