A Lamp

Joni's Devotional for Today

“Your word is a lamp to my feet ...” — Psalm 119:105a

I once visited a nursing home back in New Jersey run by Marvin van Dyke, a dear Christian friend. The place was brightly lit, beautifully decorated, and very clean. The ladies in the kitchen prepared a wonderful luncheon for us and Marvin invited several of the nursing home residents to join us. One of the attendees was his former pastor, the Rev. Herrmann Braunlin. This beloved man of God had pastored Hawthorne Bible Church for over 30 years, but Alzheimer’s disease had robbed him of any ability to communicate, recall, or think clearly.

Nevertheless, Rev. Braunlin came to the luncheon impeccably dressed in suit and tie, his hair neatly combed and shoes shined. Marvin introduced us and the pastor smiled, greeting me warmly. He didn’t talk much, though. He spent most of the time wandering around the room and looking out the window. Once in a while he would turn to me or one of my friends and the vacant look in his eyes would clear for a moment; he would shake our hands and ask, “Hello there, and what’s your name?”

Marvin, to my surprise, asked Rev. Braunlin to say the blessing over our meal. Without flinching, the elderly pastor rose from his seat at the table, leaned on his hands and began, saying, “Oh, gracious heavenly Father, we bow before you this day to humbly ask your blessing on these, our friends, and upon this meal which has been prepared by the hands of servants who love you. Strengthen us and endue us plenteously from on High with every grace and blessing so that we, too, might serve you with whole and devoted hearts. In the Name of Christ our Lord, Amen.” My friends and I looked at each other in amazement. It was as though the room had filled with light from heaven.

After his prayer, Rev. Braunlin sat down. The vacant gaze returned. But the light did not go out.

God’s Word is a light not only to our path, but to our thinking. Hide it in your heart today and you will never walk in darkness.

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Light of the world, illumine my mind and brighten my path. May I never walk in darkness as long as your word lights up the way.

From More Precious Than Silver, April 6, by Joni Eareckson Tada, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1998.