A Constant Guide

Once, on a long car journey I travelled on a stretch of main road where there were no lines to mark either the centre of the road or the edge of the road – nothing at all except a huge expanse of black tarmac. Strangely disconcerted, I found myself slowing down to a much slower speed than I would normally drive at on such a road.

My senses heightened, I felt myself tensing up as I navigated my way along the seemingly endless black road, constantly searching for something that would indicate the edge of the road and always aware of how much space I was leaving for cars coming the other way. It soon became clear that this part of the journey would be slower, more stressful, and would require a lot more effort. There was also a very real sense of insecurity about my position on the road and my safety as other drivers I encountered were obviously also struggling with their journeys. I have to admit it surprised me how much I’d relied on those white lines that we’re so used to on the roads!

My situation reminded me of this Scripture in Psalm 119. God’s Word should be a constant guide in our lives, showing us the boundaries that we can safely live within and giving us direction so that we move forward effectively. God’s Word doesn’t need to be at the forefront of our minds all the time; just as white lines are not at all at the forefront of my mind whilst I am driving. In fact, God’s Word should be at the very heart of our being so that we don’t have to think about it all the time. As the Psalmist says in verse 11, 'I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you'.

As we travel along life’s journey, God’s Word should be that constant guide that never falters or wavers. There we can find rest, freedom and safety. Without such a guide we find ourselves frantically searching for something that would indicate a boundary or direction for us to move forward in safely.

In essence God’s Word should be like those white lines on a road. It should just be there all the time!