Thursday, July 9, 2026
Psalm 119:105-112
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to observe your righteous ordinances.
107 I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your ordinances.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your decrees are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
I recently went on a camping trip to Colorado with my family, and once again I was amazed at how many lights and lamps we packed. We had lanterns for the tent and for the campsite, lights in the car, and headlamps for hiking in the dark or making a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
You need a lot of light to walk in the dark.
That is part of what makes the opening words of this passage so important for anyone seeking to follow Jesus. The psalmist does not describe God’s word as a spotlight that illuminates every mile of the road ahead. Instead, it is a lamp for our feet—enough light for the next step.
That image feels true to life. I have some powerful headlamps that can help me see well down the trail, but even then, it always seems that the moment I stop paying attention to the next step, my foot catches a root or a rock and I go stumbling.
If I am honest, I often wish God would show me much more than that. I would prefer a clear view of the whole journey—every turn, every risk, every outcome. But that is not usually how life with God works. More often, God gives us the light and wisdom we need for the next step, and then the next.
When we are dealing with a difficult neighbor, the next step may simply be to love them.
When we are staring down a diagnosis, the next step may be to trust.
When we lose a job, the next step may be to remember that God is still our provider.
God’s word is not always a roadmap for the whole journey; often, it is light for the next faithful step.
In my own life, I have found that exchanging long-range worry for the simplicity of the next step brings a certain peace. It does not make hard seasons easy, but it does quiet the heart enough to rest in God’s care for today.
David, as a king and a warrior, surely knew what it was like to worry about the future. He likely spent many days scanning the horizon for danger, answers, or relief. Perhaps that is why these words feel like hard-won wisdom: fix your eyes on the next step, and trust God’s faithfulness to lead you.
As you consider your own journey of faith, what might it look like to focus on God’s wisdom and faithfulness for the next step, then the next, and then the next, rather than straining to see the whole future at once? Might that be where God is offering you peace today?
– Pr. Jason
God, help me to trust your wisdom to guide me next step. Amen.
