Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
A Constant Light
by Lindsey Hanekom
Psalm 43:3, NIV
During a family evening walk through the local woods, we equipped our son and daughter with torches to help them see their way through the darkness. Kyle, being the oldest, held the large torch and was assigned to lead us along the right path. Zoe, not yet two years old, just enjoyed shining her little torch randomly around whilst holding onto Daddy’s hand to ensure she was going the right way.
Initially, Kyle took his role as leader quite seriously and enjoyed ensuring we could all see the right path and we stayed on it. However, as the walk progressed, he found himself distracted, shining the light into the trees, his feet, on us, behind him, anywhere but on the path ahead! It wasn’t until we came upon the completely dark areas, small bridges or narrow paths that he stopped and shone the torch ahead of us.
It occurred to me that it is very easy to live our lives in this way. God’s Word promises a faithful light that will constantly lead us. It is so very easy to be distracted by what is around us, focussing on the things that catch our interest temporarily and cause us to lose our focus onthe path ahead. It is the constancy of His light that we should be striving for; not a temporary light that we shine on our life’s path as and when we feel uncomfortable.
The Bible teaches us that God’s Word is a “lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105) and it is in knowing God’s Word that our life’s pathways can be illuminated, guiding us through the darkness of the world.
And for those like Zoe, young in the faith and just learning how to walk in the dark world safely, holding the hand of Daddy is the safest place to be. It is a place of learning how to use the light appropriately and watching others use their light to guide them so they too can move forward in the safety, freedom and confidence of knowing His Word.
Prayer: Father God, help me to stay focussed on the path ahead, not distracted by those things hidden in the darkness around me. Teach me more of your Word so my light can shine brightly and be a guide not just for myself but for others too. Amen.
Lindsey Hanekom Lindsey has worked at all of our UK centres over the years and has settled at Ellel Scotland with her husband, Johann and their two young children, Kyle and Zoe. As part of the Leadership Team at Ellel Scotland, Lindsey has a heart for the deeply broken as she oversees the prayer ministry and is an established and passionate teacher with Ellel. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys the natural world, particularly the ocean, and is trained as a specialist medic to assist stranded and injured marine mammals.
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