A Light For My Path

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow Your righteous laws.
I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your Word. (Psalm 119:105-107)

Back in 1976 at the age of 22, I was living in South Carolina with one baby, twin toddlers, an unfaithful alcoholic husband, an extremely over-bearing and critical mother-in-law and my own family lived a couple states away.

One weekend my mother-in-law came to get the kids while my husband was gone during the shrimp season. Since he had the car and the kids were away, that left me with very little to do. I was at my lowest feeling trapped in this marriage and had no idea how to turn my life around. I can’t remember feeling as alone as I did during that time. I was a brand new Christian with much to learn and a lot of growing up to do.

I got my tennis racket and went to practice up against the back of the building of a business which was closed that Sunday. As I walked down the street with racket in-hand, head hanging low I said, “God, I don’t feel like I belong in this world.” At that moment I heard God say, “You are in the world, but not of the world.” I had never read that scripture before and didn’t come across it until months later. When He said, “You are in the world, but not of the world,” I felt a sense of hope that the life I was living was not all He had for me. I was needed and loved by God and though there were many times during my life I felt lonely I knew because of Him, I was never alone.

My life has changed so drastically since then and I’ve experienced that the only one who will never fail me, never leave me, never give up on me and love me with a true and pure love is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, that died for me so that I might have life and have it more abundantly.

© Copyright 2006 Cheryl Taul

“. . .for they are not of the world anymore than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16)

Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord. In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me. (Psalm 86:7 & 139:4)