by Sharman J. Monroe
For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light.
Proverbs 6:23 (NJKV)
If you’re like me, you want God to clue you in on what’s going to happen next in your life so you can plan accordingly. Unfortunately, God doesn’t work like that. Why? God wants us to learn to trust Him regardless of what we see or hear. God wants us to learn to lean on Him at all times in our lives. God wants us to learn to be patient, and content, and listen for His guidance.
God told Abram, when he was seventy-five years old, to leave his family and his country and go to a new land (Genesis 12:1). Leaving one’s family was simply unheard of during this time. Ancient Hebrews valued family above anything else. Can you imagine all the questions, doubts and fears Abram must have had? But, following God’s small instruction, Abram left. Abram learned to trust God. He learned to be patient and he was blessed.
Like a lamp in the dark, the Word of God provides guidance to us in life so we avoid perils. Like a light, His 
Word shows us clearly how we are supposed to live to bring glory to Him. Are we perfect and do everything right all the time? No and neither was Abram. But we worship a God who understands and is more than willing to help us. I like to think God only gives a lamp because He wants us to savor the journey of life and not be so busy planning the next thing that we miss what’s going on in us and in front of us.
