Living with the Lights On / 行在光中
Dexu Xia
Living with the Lights On
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
A work assignment had taken my coworker and me on a 250-mile journey, and it was late when we began our trip home. An aging body with aging eyes makes me a bit uneasy about nighttime driving; nevertheless, I opted to drive first. My hands gripped the steering wheel and my eyes gazed intently at dimly lit roads. While driving I found I could see better when lights from vehicles behind me beamed on the highway ahead. I was much relieved when my friend eventually took the wheel of his vehicle. That’s when he discovered I had been driving with fog lights and not the headlights!
Psalm 119 is the masterful composition of one who understood that God’s Word provides us with light for everyday living (v. 105). Yet, how often do we find ourselves in situations similar to my uncomfortable night on the highway? We needlessly strain to see, and we sometimes stray from the best paths because we forget to use the light of God’s Word. Psalm 119 encourages us to be intentional about “hitting the light switch.” What happens when we do? We find wisdom for purity (vv. 9–11); we discover fresh motivation and encouragement for avoiding detours (vv. 101–102). And when we live with the lights on, the psalmist’s praise is likely to become our praise: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (v. 97).
Today's Reflection
Father, please fill my heart with Your Word so I can have the light I need for today!
行在光中
祢的话是我脚前的灯，是我路上的光。-诗篇119篇105节
由于一件工作项目的需要，我和同事必须开车到400多公里远的地方。回程的时候，已日落西山。我年纪大了，体力和视力都大不如前，要在夜间开车让我略感不安。尽管如此，我还是决定前半段路程先由我驾驶。我的手紧握着方向盘，眼睛紧盯着明亮度不足的路面。车子行驶在路上时，我发现当后方车辆的大灯照亮前路时，我就可以看得更清楚。轮到我同事开车之后，我终于松了一口气。就在那时，他发现我刚才开车时竟然只开着雾灯，而没有开车头的大灯！
诗篇119篇实在是一篇佳作，诗人阐明了上帝的话就是我们每日生活所需的亮光（105节）。然而，大家的光景是否常像我那晚在高速公路开车一样呢？我们纵然使尽全力仍看不清楚前面的路，有时甚至偏离正确的道路，因为我们忘记使用上帝的话语的亮光。诗篇119篇鼓励我们要刻意“把灯打开”，这会带来什么改变呢？我们可以得着智慧，保持纯洁（9-11节）；我们的心志将改换一新，并能得着激励，避开邪恶的道路（101-102节）。当我们活在上帝话语的光中，诗人的赞美便可以成为我们的心声：“我何等爱慕祢的律法，终日不住地思想。”（97节）
亲爱的天父，求祢以祢的话语充满我的心，
好叫我得着今日所需的亮光！
走在上帝话语的亮光中，就不致在黑暗中绊跌。