a need-to-know basis

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

Psalm 119:105 has been on my mind the past few hours. Aside from reminding me of Bible Memory Camp and wearing 20+ years' worth of t-shirts with that verse on them (yeah, that many and hopefully many more to come) that verse brings to mind that God's looking out for me and is offering His light as a guide. Life happens, but I have God's Word to help me on my pathway through it.

According to the MJV (that's Ms. Janet's Version) that verse holds a few truths. One, it infers that I have to keep walking...keep moving forward. Two, it is understood that as I keep walking, the pathway before me will be lit for as far as I need it to be...not necessarily as far as I want it to be. Three, outside of God's will is darkness...to walk in the light, I have to stay connected with the Light.

Recently, God has impressed upon me that I'm on a "need-to-know" basis. I am guilty of straining so hard to try and see far down the pathway, I've overlooked the lamp at my feet for the here and now. In the boys' pediatrician's office, while waiting on the LNP to come I was reading to them out of one of those infamous "Bible Stories" book that you see everywhere. (I wonder if the first book is free to lure you to buy the set...I have never found any other one). God had a reason for this one on that day.

I was reading about Adam and Eve and how they had to leave the garden, but that God gave them a promise. Speaking to the serpent, God said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 A promise is here made of Christ as the deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan. We know that, but at the time, Adam and Eve didn't know who it would be. God provided them a lamp unto their feet...and a lighted path ahead of them with a promise. They had no idea if it would be the first child...a grandchild...or beyond. They had to walk in faith...and keep walking along a pathway that held a promise. Like me today, they were on a "need-to-know" basis. They weren't around for the fulfilled promise of Christ's coming...and we have yet to see the ultimate fulfillment which will take place when Christ returns...but a promise is a promise. Enough light is given to encourage me to keep walking.

The Bible is full of such examples of people who lived by a need-to-know basis...Noah, Abraham, Joseph come to mind right away. With such a history of God's provision of what people needed at just the right time, why do I doubt at times and stumble around in the dark on my own selfish trail?

When I can't see very far in front of me, I still have the lamp at my feet...and there's always enough light for the next step.