“Okay. What have you learned from this?”
This phrase, spoken by my father, was a mainstay of my growing up. I heard it one summer afternoon when I was eight years old, following my sheepish confession that I’d accidentally shot my neighbor, Mr. Horner, with my BB gun. I heard it late one snowy Michigan night, when my car came to rest against a chain-link fence—after I’d impatiently tried (unsuccessfully) to maneuver it between a ditch and another parked car in my girlfriend’s driveway—resulting in a phone call to my dad, asking him to come help me dig my car out of a snowdrift. And I’ve uttered that same question to myself countless times since, even as I’ve grown older and the learning opportunities have evolved with time and age.
Always spoken in love, and almost always received with humility, it’s a phrase so simple, yet it resounds with the essence of the relationship between a dad and a son. I’m deeply grateful to fall into the increasingly receding percentage of men whose fathers are truly fatherly.
We might not expect to find such a rare, human moment between father and son within Scripture. While God’s Word is relatable and relevant across time, I still struggle sometimes to grasp the idea that these words were written to real people who existed in a real time and place. But that wasn’t the case for me when I read David’s words to his son, Solomon, in 1 Chronicles 28. His words could’ve just as easily been written to me in a text message from my dad on any given Monday morning:
“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father,
and serve him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind,
for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought.
If you seek him, he will be found by you” (v.9).
I can almost picture the memories and hard-won lessons flashing before David’s eyes as he distills his life into just two simple sentences, passing down parting wisdom to his son. After charging Solomon with the great responsibility of building the temple and outlining the requirements of the job, David’s parting words to his son, and some of his last we read in the Bible, include loving encouragement that ultimately points Solomon to a present, secure, steadfast God. He tells Solomon to “be strong and courageous, and do the work… for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the LORD’s house is finished” (v.20).
What a delight it is to be offered wisdom by those who’ve come before us, and in turn, to offer guidance to those who will come after us. But isn’t that what this entire book, the Bible, is about? It’s a lamp to lead our feet along the path of life (Psalm 119:105). It gives guidance from a loving Father through stories of His own and others’ that are full of grace and love, that shape us and call us to grow. May we honor the same Father of David and Solomon, feel loved by Him, and love like Him every day.
Ryan Myers is Chief Operating Officer of She Reads Truth, He Reads Truth, and Kids Read Truth. Ryan and his wife, Raechel, live with their two children in Nashville, Tennessee.
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47 thoughts on "Your Word Is a Lamp for My Feet"
Amen God I thank you in all ways, glory to you, for I am growing to believe that I am worthy of your love and grace in times of hardship and victory, thank you again for being so devoted to my presence, as I have not always been well. Love to you the most high.
Wooooo, what a challenging and encouraging read!
Help me pray for my husbands soul salvation and also that he becomes the father God is calling him to be. Amen
Thank you for this devotional. Please help me pray for my dad. He knows of the Lord but does not have a relationship with him. I long to see him as a Godly father and know his heart belongs to the Lord.
❤️❤️
My dad is an innocent man in prison. Sentenced 40 years for a financial crime that didn’t happen. His company failed in the recession and the dollar amount he owed people after doing everything he could
to pay back debts was 2.75 million. He was sentenced based on a 300 million dollar sum. They never wanted to see our proof of the dollar amount in trial. He has clung to his faith and grown more than ever. Seeing his purpose in his time in there but man I miss him. My brothers that are still in high school need him. We are all trusting God with his life. I pray for supernatural joy and safety for him. He’s in there with murderers, drug dealers, and pure evil. He has been a beacon of light and been protected by a spiritual tent of the Holy Spirit. This devotion today really comforted me. He will not leave my dads side. He knows the intention of every thought! Thank you Lord.
This reading and devotion hit home so personally today and gave me much comfort. My amazing godly father passed this past April. He was my best friend and rock, aside from Christ of course. A true soul winner, a fisher of men. He was the most Christlike person I’ve ever come across, not serving for the glory of men but unto the Glory of God. Today’s reading is like an echo of love and comfort to my shattered heart from my Heavenly Father.
I praise God you had such a Godly man as your father. What a great legacy he has left!
Angela – I 100% felt the peace of the Spirit speaking right to my heart in the same way. This study has been such a gift in this time of uncertainty and anxiousness. God is with me and He enables us to follow the plan. We are called to be strong and courages and do the work! Proverbs 19:21 in the Message hit me hard too – “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans (hello school!!?!), but God’s purpose prevails.” Thank goodness!!!!
Amen, Amy!!! Yes.
Angela, I am a teacher and I felt this!
God will always be my side as I stumble in everyday life and he will never leave my side. His decrees are what I come back to all the time so that my walk is with him by my side.
♥️♥️
In 1 Chronicles 28:19 “David concluded, ‘By the Lord’s hand on me, he enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.’” David is speaking of the plans to build the temple, which he is passing on to Solomon. Still, wouldn’t it be great if the Lord enabled us to understand all the details of His plan? But wait… David had incomplete understanding of the covenant God made with him — who would be the offspring that would establish David’s throne forever? What would the Messiah be like? What was God’s plan for the nations?
We have the completed Word of God, including the revelation of the mystery of the gospel. Like David, we have the Spirit to guide us. As the Spirit leads us through Scripture, we learn God’s gospel plan and more about His kingdom. In the Word, we see Christ unifying Jew and Gentile into one body — the Church. The Word of God that we have access to is a much more full revelation of the details of His plans. Thus, when we say with the psalmist, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path,” the light the Spirit provides for us shines even brighter.
❤️❤️❤️
Thank you all yesterday for your messages and prayers, I cannot tell you how much they meant to me. Amy G- I’m wondering if you would feel comfortable sharing your email address with me? My husband was deployed with a unit across the country (which is a long story), and we aren’t in a navy town, so we are far from any military support or community for my husband. I would love to pick your brain about resources. If you are comfortable emailing, my email is: [email protected]
Thank you sisters for your continued prayers – my test result was negative for COVID-19. I am still out from work this week to recover from the sinus infection I had, but I am feeling much better. I am working on building better boundaries so I don’t stress (which triggers my asthma more), guarding my input, and staying connected to Jesus through it all. Thank you to those who reminded me to inhale peace and faith, and to exhale stress and worry. Blessings to you all for a beautiful day and week ahead.
Do the work, knowing the Lord is with you through its completion❤️
Reading through this Psalm has been so good for me. Like many, we are in a season where it is easy to be discouraged. There has been a lot of “hard” in these months. It is good to keep remembering what is true and where deep joy can be found in these seasons of life. Thankful that the Lord guides us with His word, and sustains us. What a loving Father we have in Him. My husband is waiting on word of a job, that seems like a strong possibility after months of no work. I run out of prayers on this topic and am down to praying for God’s plan and will. He is teaching me to depend and just want His ways. I’d appreciate prayers for my husbands job search, and my ability to support him well.
As I consider these passages, Ryan’s devotion and the many comments by my SRT sisters, my thoughts have moved toward the potential good in distinguishing earthly fathers from spiritual fathers, and of course, our heavenly Father. When I think of my earthly father (who has passed on), I am gladly able to say that he had a profession of faith in Christ. Yet, he struggled to teach in a manner like David, or even Ryan’s father did. My dad had a notable learning disability as well as not any true mentors who invested in him. His theology had holes in it and some potentially false teaching accepted. But, I’m grateful for our last few years together, while he was struggling with dementia, we were able to talk some about these discrepancies. I”m not sure how much he understood, but I thank our heavenly Father for the hope that his grace is sufficient in the midst of great weakness of mind and body.
Then, I ponder about the spiritual fathers the Lord has placed in my path. For the first many years of newfound faith in my 30s, I’m hard pressed to identify these spiritual fathers. Mainly because the theology of the church I was a part of has it’s own discrepancies. But then the Lord, who is faithful to the cries of those in great affliction, pointed me to a number of godly teachers with sound doctrine. Though not perfect in words and actions, these men have shown me who this great heavenly Father, this sovereign Lord, truly is.
Thank you, heavenly Father, for making up what has been lacking in godly teaching from our earthly fathers for many of us!
So thankful for my Dad and the love and wisdom he has always given me. Now as he is losing his memory, I pray the one thing he never loses is Jesus in his mind and heart. Lord God may all the children out there young and old who have not had an earthly Dad who walked beside them know that they have a heavenly one that loves them beyond comprehension. God please let them feel you holding them and see all the ways you care for their needs. Give us your eyes for each other and your healing words. Lord I pray too for all the teachers preparing to go back to school may you give them your peace that surpasses understanding as they love on their students in word and deed I pray you multiply the hope, joy and love they pour out. Thank you Jesus for all you are going to do. Amen
Maura, my Mother had dementia and one of the main things God taught me through caring for her was that He will never leave you or forsake you. There were times that God was the only thing that connected in the tangled web of her mind. God gave me these verses to speak at her funeral, Psalm 71:6-9, 17-18
“Do the work “
Wow. Simple instruction for such a difficult time as this. ❤️
You are my shelter and shield, sustainer, and hope. When it feels like the world is closing in, you are there. I will not forget or wander from your Word. You go before me, you are with me, you are behind me. I have sought you and you are found. Thank you Lord.
Oh, I too had a wonderful, loving God-fearing earthly father. The past three years I’ve been single-parenting with God as my father encouraging me, guiding me, pointing me in the right I can do this! God has it ALL under control!
Godspeed, Lydia! God goes before you and He’s got your back! What an awesome God!
The Psalm passage spoke so strongly to me of the Psalmist’s struggles and response to those struggles. Struggles: constant danger, traps, severe affliction, double-minded, evil, wicked people. His response: knowing and following God’s word, God’s judgements, offerings of praise, obedience, deeper love for God’s instruction, hope in God’s word, and trembling awe. And, the Psalmist’s reason, vs. 116-117 his hope is in God’s promises and concern for His statutes. He wants his life and safety to shine forth that we can trust God.
I love the father/son exchange in 1 Chronicles. I love the details, because God gave them and gave David understanding, they mattered. He wanted his son, Solomon to get that. Where God directs, we need to obey…especially when He gives details!
And finally the verse in Proverbs feels like, “for such a time as this.” For all my teacher friends, everyone is making plans about how this new school year will start and happen. It is overwhelming. It can feel impossible. Except…it is not, because God has gone before us. We will do exactly as the Psalmist shared: know and follow God’s word and judgements, offer praise, obey, love God’s instruction, hope in His word, and go forth in trembling awe of Him, in Him. For He is faithful. He is dependable. He is our Father.
i sit here this morning. Last sunrise and cup of coffee in my old house, embarking on the next part of the journey God has planned for me
,reading and receiving the encouragement I need from the Word of the Living God —counsel to learn via reflection and courage to lean into whatever lies ahead. Your word, O God, is a lamp unto my feet.
May God light your path as you step forward trusting Him.
May God bless your new journey, Lydia! I love your faithfulness and courage.
Praying for you on your new journey, Lydia! And your words were so beautiful and encouraging. Thank you for blessing us with your reflections, sister!
Thank you ladies. This means so much to me.
Oh how I miss my earthly father (&mother), & so look forward to a joyous reunion in Heaven. I’m so thankful that no matter our age, we have a Heavenly Father to always light our path in this oftentimes dark world through His Word. Thank you Lord, & May I be your humble & obedient child always.
Such a sweet reminder that God’s word will illuminate my path as I try to surrender my plans to His and walk in His will, even though things currently look foggy and unclear. Clinging to Proverbs 19:21 and 1 Chronicles 28:20 today <3
His Word is the light for my path. The road of life seems very dark and uncertain under the shadows of all this world is going through. I need the light of His Word to guide my steps. My heart is set on keeping His decrees. I am loving this study so much!
I think about the passage from Proverbs and how it connects to Psalm. The words of our Father and His purposes are what will prevail, not mine. I am such a planner and want things to go in a particular way, which they often don’t, on a broader scale. However, when I turn to God’s word and submit to His plan and purpose, I’m able to walk through the “change in plan” in a more peaceful state of mind and heart ❤️ His plans and purposes are good because He is good!
Amen! ♥️
Amen, this is so good to read and something that I have to remember because my life isn’t going to way I planned and thought it would but it’s nice to know since I’m following Christ and I have a relationship with Him, he’s in control of my life and I’m exactly where I need to be.
https://shereadstruth.com/your-word-is-a-lamp-for-my-feet/
So good! This reminds me of John 3, He loves us and calls us children.
Yes Kristen. I come in agreement with you concerning this word. I cried reading this devotion as he talked about the blessing of having his father. Lord, I have unspoken prayer requests regarding this. I boldly confess my desires to the Lord. I pray for earthly Fathers for children who don’t have that father in their lives. I pray for more marriages for single moms so they can have a help mate on earth, as the Lord see fit to help them in this world and in raising their children in the Kingdom of God on this earth. Lord, I pray for Divine connections, let Your Kingdom Come and Your Will be done, on this earth as It Is in Heaven. In Jesus Name, Amen
Yes Kristen and Clarene. Also adding to that prayer for children that do have fathers that are physically present, yet are physically or emotionally abusive. My father is still around, but I grew up dealing with his angry outbursts, emotional abuse, and untreated mental illness. We have a complicated relationship now; it’s civil and I know he does love me deep down, but I simply cannot relate to the father figure in this devotion. I would have been afraid to tell my father any of those mistakes and would have tried to hide them from him if at all possible to avoid the emotional consequences. BUT GOD. But I have a Heavenly Father that meets me with grace, patience, love, and forgiveness. And He offers that to all of us – those with great earthly dads and the fatherless. I cling to and cherish my relationship with my Father, and I’m praying that I continually draw closer to Him by His Grace.
In the midst of the psalmist’s distress, he calls out to the Lord and leans into His Word. It is the lamp and the light of God’s Word that will show him the way through and the way out. He is “resolved to obey your statutes to the very end.” All of his hope is in the Word.
Is there any of us who have not clung to the promises of God in our most dire moment? Have we not held tight to His words even as tears fell on the page? Have we not pleaded with Him to sustain us when all strength seemed in short supply? Have we not felt His presence, seen His hand, received His assurance and trembled in awe of Him? Let us worship while we wait. He will indeed “remove all the wicked from the earth.”
That verse stood out to me so strong… it stayed like a promise to help me keep perspective… “He will remove ALL the wicked from the earth”. I have been praying daily for our nation and for the Church to be awakened.
Thank You Lord that You “will remove ALL wicked from the earth” so we ask that you would expose what needs to be exposed and that You would be magnified. Have Your way in the earth Lord. We ask for hearts to be awakened and turned to You. Help us to LOVE You and LOVE others in Your name. You are the just judge. Our assignment is to love.
Amen!!
Ryan Myers, we have met, in the love of christ.. I have to say…
I love you..!
Your writing, every word, reminded me of my earthly father, no longer here, and yet his words, his loving words, often pop up in my mind, i smile, and i say thank you dad..
You versions verse of the day is proverbs 22:6
Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.
The guidance and love, support and grace I received from my dad, has brought me thus far, in that he brought me jesus to begin with, he would sing the old gospel songs, ‘where you there when they crucified my Lord’, came to mind as I write, that one always always had tears, as Iit does now, I guess one for the memory and most importantly that another would died for this sin filled, rebel of a human being…
But God..
With the loving and encouraging lessons as a child, always brings me back to Him no matter what I did, where I roamed, searching for what I felt was missing..
His Word, the words I learnt at the knee, have always been a lamp to guide me home, and as in the olden days the light for my path home, as the saying goes, there absolutely is no place like home..
This world is not my home..
But God is..
Amen.
I love you guys, Hapoy Tuesday wrapped in all things wonderful…❤
So true Kristen I love to run into my former middle school students, especially the boys, that need encouragement and sometimes just the fact that they know I always was fair and expected their best because I knew they could give it. This is what I miss the most about being retired helping to mold new lives.
I wasn’t going to write this, then I saw this verse of the day on the YouVersion Bible app: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6 NIV
This app has a story that goes with it. This was written on the first page before the verse: Whether their your children or somebody else’s, kids are everywhere. What responsibility do we have to them?
One of the pastors talked about the statistics of children that don’t have fathers. Fathers are needed, but aren’t always there for many reasons. He was saying this to show what can happen without an earthly dad and how much more we all need our Heavenly Father. From this devotional and the Scripture and question, there may be kids that need some guidance, direction, and love from us so they can learn about the Father’s love. May God help us to see where and when we can help, lead, teach, and guide.