This morning on my way to a class, I stopped to grab a book that I left on the stage in the church auditorium. As is my usual habit, I used my cell phone to light my path. The back light turns off after 15 seconds which leaves me with a dim glow, unless I decide to shut and reopen the phone – I didn’t this time. I know the stage very well. I contributed to its design during the renovation and am on the stage on a daily basis. The light of my phone dimmed after I found the book and I continued across the stage to head down the steps. In our sanctuary we do not have kneeling bench style altars as some do, but rather an extra wide bottom step as a place to pray. As I quickly approached the bottom of the steps, something sent me flying almost to injury. While falling, I tried to imagine what actually tripped me. The only thing that came to mind was a book bag which may have been leftover from high school choir the day before. I actually managed to stay on my feet, but still stumbled for several steps and nearly did the splits. Amid the tumbling and wondering, this “book bag” grunted and apologized. I quickly replied back with a short, “no prob bro” and continued on my way. Needless to say, I felt terrible for kicking a praying man as I’m sure he felt terrible for tripping someone in the dark.

I thought about posting about prayer and/or revival, but I will wait until after next week’s missions and church planting conference at Gateway where I am excited to hear @karlsexton‘s Sunday morning intro sermon on the topic of  missions and revival.

I texted the happenings to a couple people, and one friend responded back, “good thing Psalm 119 doesn’t say thy word is a cell phone unto my feet…” Since then, my thoughts have been on Psalm 119:1o5.

Sometimes we miss the point of this verse. We get so excited about the fact that God has provided clarity and visibility for the path of life that we skip over the very source of the light. We can probably all remember back to a time in life when we felt distant from God and life’s road seemed anything but well lit. Perhaps you’re there now. Let’s be reminded that it is personal time in God’s Word that provides the illumination, not church attendance, hanging out with Christians, or hearing sermons. Obviously these things will (in many churches) be Bible based activities, but corporate involvement cannot take the place of your personal time with God in His Word.

There are 22 sections of this chapter – each containing 8 verses and represented by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 105 is the first verse of the Nun (14th letter) section of Psalm 119. A look at all 8 verses will reveal the desire of the Psalmist to personally know and keep the Scripture. Below I have put all references to the Scripture itself in red and all first person pronouns in blue.

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.
108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

 

**a special thanks to James for the quote and to the guy at the altar (whoever you are) for tripping me.