trbccoffeebreak

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

When you purchase a piece of furniture in a box that’s clearly marked “some assembly required,” what do you feel? Dread? Excitement? Anticipated frustration? This line of questioning begs another: Do you carefully follow the directions or throw caution to the wind and try to figure it all out on your own?

Thankfully, many things in life come with instructions. And to proceed for the ideal outcome, we go step-by-step according to the manufacturer or creator. After all, we can trust that the maker knows that product, how it’s to be assembled for lasting strength, and how to care for it for the long haul.

If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you may have heard the Bible be referred to as life’s instruction manual. That is true—and that is where I’m going with this…but I want to dig in and give you some rationale as to why this is one set of directions you don’t want to toss aside and think, “Oh, I’ve got this on my own.”

Psalm 19 is a great why behind the Providential mandate to follow the instructions. From verse 7 through 11, the “instructions” are referred to in different ways (laws, commands, etc.), but each is simply a nuanced way of referring to God’s Word. After all, God is our trustworthy Creator, and following the Bible will, in fact, take care of us for the long haul. Let’s break it down.

The Word is…
• soul-refreshing, trustworthy, wisdom-giving (v7)
• joy-bringing, clear, insight-providing (v8)
• pure, everlasting, true, fair (v9)
• more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey (v10)

And if these don’t provide you with reason enough to follow the Divine Instructions, maybe these last two will seal the deal:

God’s commands—His instructions—serve as warnings for living. Our Maker really doesn’t want to mess things up. He wants us to have lasting strength. And the best? When we obey them, we are promised a great reward (v11).

“Lord, thank You for Your instruction manual for my life—a life You created. Help me use it daily as a light unto my path.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life