“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps. 119:105.

When your father is far from home and wants you to come to him, he writes you a letter telling you what to do to get ready, and what road to take to come. Then he tells you about the road. If there are any dangerous places he tells you just where they are, and how to keep out of them. If there is anything very pleasant, he tells you where to look for it that you may enjoy it. You feel quite safe and happy as long as you have father’s letter.

The heavenly Father, your best Friend, loves you so much that He wants you to come and live with Him in His glorious, happy home of which we learned last week. But the road is very narrow and straight, and there are broad, dangerous paths leading from it on both sides that lead to death. He does not want you to lose the right road and get into these dangerous places, so He has sent you a long, loving letter, which tells you all about the way to come to Him. He did not write it Himself, but holy men wrote as they were guided by His Holy Spirit. Do you know, now, what we call this letter that your Heavenly Father has sent to you? Yes, it is the Holy Bible. He says that it is for little ones like you, as well as for father and mother.

But this letter from your Father in heaven is much better in every way than the one from your earthly father; for if you do as it says, it will lead you to a home in heaven. There are no mistakes in it, and it tells so very plainly where to step and where not to step in the way to your heavenly home, that it is better than the best lamp that was ever made. You know in a dark night how a lamp shows the safe places and the dangerous places along the road.

But a lamp cannot lead you safely to your earthly home unless you use it, and unless you walk in the safe places that it shows you. Neither can the wonderful Bible lamp from heaven lead you safely to your heavenly home unless you use it, and do as it says,—unless you walk in the safe places and keep away from the dangerous places about which it tells you.

Jesus says that if you carefully read and study the Bible, and do what it says, just as you would follow the light of a lamp, He and His Father will love you and send holy angels to be with you all the time. But that is not all. He promises that if you love His words and do them they will lead you safely to His heavenly home, where you may live with Him for ever.

Ah, this precious letter from God, this heavenly lamp, is worth more to you than gold or silver, or any other thing on this earth. Love it; study it; do as it says; and you will be following its light. Walk in the narrow path of obedience, and keep out of the crooked paths of sin. Then you may truthfully say, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

1. When your father is far from home and wants you to come to him, what does he write you?
2. If there are dangerous places along the road, what does he tell you?
3. What do we call the letter that your heavenly Father has sent to you?
4. Why did He send it?
5. Which is better, the letter from your father, or this one from God?
6. Why is the one from God better?
7. How plainly does it tell where to go, and where not to go?—As plainly as a lamp shows the way in a dark night.
8. So what does David call it? Ps. 119:105.
9. Suppose you should never read the letter that God has sent, would it then be like a lamp unto your feet?
10. Suppose you should read it and learn all it says, but not do what it says, would you be walking in its light?
11. Then how must you use the Bible so that it will be to you a lamp?
12. What is the straight path in which it says you must walk?—Obedience to your parents and to God.
13. What are the crooked and dangerous paths which it says you must not go near?—Disobedience; all kinds of naughty ways.
14. If you study and love the Bible and do as it says, who will be with you every day?
15. And to what beautiful city will you finally come?
16. Can gold, or silver, or any other thing in the world do you so much good?
17. Then what is worth more to you than anything else in the world?
18. How can you show that you are very thankful for this precious gift from your best Friend?

The Present Truth – July 20, 1893
E. J. Waggoner

Story in pdf Our Best Lamp