SEPTEMBER 15, 2015
God’s Compass
Your
word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.— Psalm 119:105
Read:
Psalm
119:105-112
During World War II,
small compasses saved the lives of 27 sailors 300 miles off the coast of North
Carolina. Waldemar Semenov, a retired merchant seaman, was serving as a junior
engineer aboard the SS Alcoa Guide when a German submarine surfaced and opened
fire on the ship. The ship was hit, caught fire, and began to sink. Semenov and
his crew lowered compass-equipped lifeboats into the water and used the
compasses to guide them toward the shipping lanes closer to shore. After three
days, the men were rescued.
The psalmist reminded
God’s people that His Word was a trustworthy “compass.” He likened it to a
lamp. In that day, the flickering light cast by an olive oil lamp was only
bright enough to show a traveler his next step. To the psalmist, God’s Word was
such a lamp, providing enough light to illuminate the path for those pursuing
God (Ps. 119:105). When the psalmist was wandering in the dark on a chaotic
path of life, he believed that God, through the guidance of His Word, would
provide direction.
When we lose our
bearings in life, we can trust our God who gives His trustworthy Word as our
compass, using it to lead us into deeper fellowship with Him.
Heavenly Father, it is difficult to navigate life. I drift
sometimes, but I will trust in You. Lead me and guide me by the faithfulness
and reliability of Your Word.
God has given us His Word to help us know and follow Him.
INSIGHT:
Many times we view rules and laws as
restrictions on what we can and cannot do. It is tempting to see laws as
impinging on our freedom. However, the psalmist clearly has a positive view of
God’s law. Instead of seeing it as limiting, the psalmist celebrates the law as
something that gives him life (119:107,111). Since we live in a broken world,
we need the guidance of God’s Word to show us how to truly live. J.R. Hudberg
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015