“Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart” (Psalm 97:11 ESV)
The psalmist describes what he sees as the benefits of walking (or living) according to God’s direction and purpose. He sees, and knows, the guidance from God that is necessary to live a life that is good, satisfying, and healthy. The benefit of such adherence to the way of God is that it brings joy and rejoicing.
Some fear that following God’s purposes for one’s life is a sentence of drudgery, solemnity, and devoid of anything remotely enjoyable and thus to be avoided. The devil uses fear to keep the world in his power. The opposite is that the Lord uses faith to set us free to follow and serve Him. The battle between faith and fear is something that very believer wrestles with and will determine the degree of success in God’s service and purposes.
The truth is the opposite, the discipline and obedience required produce joy and satisfaction as the Psalmist readily gives witness to in many psalms.
To decide to follow God is not to give up all that is enjoyable in life. The difference is that the “joys” of this world are transient in nature and cater to our basic needs and desires. The love and rejoicing that comes from the presence of God and walking in his highway of holiness goes far beyond anything we can ask or imagine in terms of inner satisfaction and blessing.
We are free to choose which path to follow – one leads to light and life, the other to darkness and death.
Let faith, not fear, be your guide!!
There will be a highway there, called “The Road of Holiness.”
No sinner will ever travel that road; no fools will mislead those who follow it. (Isaiah 35:8 GNT)
In my distress I called to the Lord; he answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid; what can anyone do to me?
7 It is the Lord who helps me, and I will see my enemies defeated.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to depend on people.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to depend on human leaders. (Psalm 118:5-9 GNT)
With a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham he promised to rescue us from our enemies
and allow us to serve him without fear,75 so that we might be holy and righteous before him all the days of our life. (Luke 1:74-75 GNT)
Lord, you keep the lamp of my life burning brightly. You are my God. You bring light into my darkness. (Psalm 18:28 GNT)
Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness. They will have that light. They will have life.” (John 8:12 GNT)
