Devotion 09 July 2026

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8: 12

READING: Psalm 119: 105-112

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible - and its theme is the Bible itself. It describes God’s Word in terms of the law, testimony, commandments, statutes, and precepts. Psalm 119 has 22 sections that each begin with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet, forming what is called an acrostic that describes both the purpose and the power of Scripture.

But it isn’t just a praise-filled description of Scripture. The Psalmist struggled with life, just as we do: "My soul melts from heaviness..." (v.28). And how did he recover? By praying through the Word: · "Revive me according to Your word." (v.25, v.37, v.50),

Psalm 119 tells us that God’s Word not only renews the soul, it “is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (v.105).

The light of God’s Word represents God's presence guiding us on the right path, enabling us to distinguish right from wrong whilst also bringing comfort in our darkness.

The verse beautifully describes the light in two practical ways:

"A lamp for my feet": representing immediate, daily guidance. Ancient lamps provided only enough light to see one or two steps at a time, not the entire road ahead. In the same way, God’s Word does not always reveal the future - but it faithfully helps us handle our current circumstances and immediate choices.

"A light on my path": this is the floodlight or radiant sun that does illuminate the road ahead, revealing the overall direction our life should go.

The whole of Scripture is a light shining in a dark place; a lamp or torch to be carried in the hand of a believer, while we pass through this world, in which we see things “but darkly” and often feel so confused.

As followers of Jesus, we walk by faith, trusting that God’s Word – interpreted through His Spirit - will always light u[ the next step, day by day, as we follow Him.

John 8:12 is a life-changing verse if we see it for what it is — Jesus is saying that, when we follow Him, ‘you will have Me as your light’. If you follow Me, you have Me - I am your Shepherd and your Living Water, your Bread from Heaven and your Light.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You that Your Word guides and illumines my life; I thank You for bringing light into the dark places of my life. Amen