Paradise, and the Dashboard Light
Before the days of digital instrument panels and illuminated gauges, automakers mounted small light bulbs on dashboards. These earliest electric dashboard lights were nothing more than tiny spotlights, adjacent to the most important gauges, lighting up vital instruments and dials in the dark.
Back in the early days of driving automobiles, these bulbs were super important. Successfully arriving at your destination required constant monitoring of a lot more data than just speed: fuel and oil level gauges, oil temperature, oil pressure, engine speed, water temperature, electric current, and more. With no powertrain control systems keeping an eye on things, and with generally more finicky systems, a good driver was one who was also a good watcher.
The author of Psalm 119 thought of the word of God this way. Throughout the colossal alphabetic acrostic Psalm (the longest chapter in the Bible), God’s word – His law, statutes, precepts, commands, laws, decrees, and promises – are used to constantly monitor the data points that reveal the status of a person’s life:
Having a clear conscience: “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.” v. 6
Being confident when people put you down: “Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.” v. 23
Having friends who value their faith in God: “I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.” v. 63
Managing difficulty: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” v. 71
Pursuing the fullness of God’s truth: “To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.” v. 96
And the most popular: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” v. 105
The author of this psalm would have used a light for his path, to show where he’s going, and a lamp for his feet, to reveal his position right where he is. He would have taken one step at a time, keeping a close eye on where his feet were going. Interwar-era cars would have taken things slowly too, to pay attention to signs of distress coming from the engine.
Today, we can use the Bible for the same thing. In the above examples, God’s word reveals a lot about a person’s heart. If they were hard to read because you know you haven’t measured up, God’s word is doing its job as it shows you right where you are. We need to know where if we’re overheating, running lean, living under too much pressure, lacking spark, being too thirsty, or not making enough progress. We can check how our mood is influencing our decisions, how our circumstances make us feel, and if our walk with God is a little lean.
God’s word also shows us the road ahead. Proverbs 6:23 echoes the lamp imagery of God’s word: “For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life." Crucially, the context for this verse is a warning against slipping into sexual sin. When someone isn’t watching their mood, thoughts, and behavior, damage from something like that becomes a lot easier.
Today, follow the example of the Psalmist and examine your heart against the truth found in God’s word. No one’s heart will be flawless. That responsibility is for Jesus. All scripture ultimately points to Him, and can help us point our headlights toward God – and an eternity in paradise with Him – and keep cruising.
