Ever since I can remember I have always enjoyed this time of year.  Everything is growing, flowers are blooming ... as they say, “spring is in the air.”  But even before I was old enough to appreciate the beauty of spring flowers I rejoiced in the lengthening hours of daylight.  The hours of daylight have been slowly increasing since late December, but by now it is noticeable ... and then comes daylight savings time so that we can enjoy even more of the lengthening sunlight.  Somehow the longer days renew and lift our spirits as we crawl out of the long dark nights of winter.

If days that grow brighter and brighter with lengthening hours of sunlight bring joy to our lives, how much more joy is ours when we experience the light of the Lord illuminating the paths of our lives with increasing brightness!  How does the light of the Lord shine more brightly on our paths?  God blesses us with increasing light for our paths as we walk in paths of righteousness.  “... the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day” [Pr. 4:18].  How do we know the paths of righteousness?  Follow the Lord, for He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake [Ps. 23:3].  Follow His voice, for His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path [Ps. 119:105].

This does not mean that our path will not be rocky at times, but with brighter light from the Lord we will not stumble so easily over those rocks!  Greater light for our path does not mean that we’ll always see what’s ahead ... sometimes our path will turn a sharp corner and we can’t see around the turn, but a brighter path insures we won’t miss the turn ... we’ll be on the path the Lord has prepared for us.

No matter what, follow the Lord in His paths of righteousness and He promises the joy of a path that grows brighter and brighter until we’re standing in the full light of the presence of the Son.

Pastor Jim