The Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer are found in the Book of Common Prayer or online:
Morning Evening
Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path."
I have always loved this passage from Psalm 119. Not only does it remind us of the necessity of God's Word to aid us in our journey through life as a light to our path, but it reminds us of the way God works in our lives. When we walk in the dark, a lantern only shines about as much light as we need to take the next few steps. A lantern is not a set of headlights or floodlights or a blazing light of any kind. A lantern shines a light upon our path to keep us safe and aware of any changes or obstacles immediately ahead of us, but it does not light up the entire path.
As we journey through life, we often wish we had the ability to see into the future and know exactly what would happen to us and when. But God tends to lead us in a way that requires faith: we are given only the light we need to see for today or for the next decision we must make ... we will know where our feet should go for the next few steps if we follow God's lead, but often not beyond that. The greater future is yet unknown. Like walking along a dark path with a lantern, God's Word and work in our lives provides light for us to see the next step, the next choice, the next bend in the corner ... but we walk by faith and will have to trust God for the journey itself.
We are currently living with a lot of uncertainty and what will ultimately happen is not yet clear. But we can rely on the lantern that God has given in us in God's Word and trust God for the light we need to light our path today.
Thanks be to God.
~Rebecca+
Morning Evening
Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path."
I have always loved this passage from Psalm 119. Not only does it remind us of the necessity of God's Word to aid us in our journey through life as a light to our path, but it reminds us of the way God works in our lives. When we walk in the dark, a lantern only shines about as much light as we need to take the next few steps. A lantern is not a set of headlights or floodlights or a blazing light of any kind. A lantern shines a light upon our path to keep us safe and aware of any changes or obstacles immediately ahead of us, but it does not light up the entire path.
As we journey through life, we often wish we had the ability to see into the future and know exactly what would happen to us and when. But God tends to lead us in a way that requires faith: we are given only the light we need to see for today or for the next decision we must make ... we will know where our feet should go for the next few steps if we follow God's lead, but often not beyond that. The greater future is yet unknown. Like walking along a dark path with a lantern, God's Word and work in our lives provides light for us to see the next step, the next choice, the next bend in the corner ... but we walk by faith and will have to trust God for the journey itself.
We are currently living with a lot of uncertainty and what will ultimately happen is not yet clear. But we can rely on the lantern that God has given in us in God's Word and trust God for the light we need to light our path today.
Thanks be to God.
~Rebecca+
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