Preparing for Worship – Ava McClung.
I think it’s interesting that in our Scripture this morning the Psalmist describes God’s word as “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Have you ever used a flashlight or a lantern to light a path in the dark? The light usually doesn’t reach very far. There’s still a lot out there that you can’t see, and I always find myself just a little uneasy.
One of the things I have been trying to glean from my Wilshire internship this summer is whether ministry is something I might like to pursue as a career. “Career” is a scary word in and of itself. It seems to indicate a big decision about the path you want your life to take, and I am just beginning to realize how wildly underprepared I feel to make that decision. How am I supposed to know if this is still what I’ll want to do many years from now?
But I think that’s just what the psalmist is saying. God’s word is not the sun, showing him the entire path and all of its surroundings. God’s word is a lamp, illuminating just enough to allow him to keep walking. I am reminded of the song “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen 2:
I’ll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light …
I’ll make the choice
To hear that voice
And do the next right thing
It’s comforting, I think, to be able to trust that God will lead me to the opportunities that are right for me if I’m just willing to listen and obey. Those might change over time as I change over time. But I don’t have to worry about that right now — God will reveal those things to me along the way.
God is inviting us to let go of the plans and expectations we have for our own lives and choose to allow ourselves to live out the gifts God has already placed within us. We just have to let God light our paths, showing us the next right thing. And yes, many things will still be shrouded in darkness. But if we choose to trust God to lead us like a shepherd, we will find ourselves beside still waters.