Jesus Be My Guide

In the first of three The Lord of the Rings movies, Frodo and his closest hobbit friends (the Fellowship), along with three humans and a wizard (Gandalf), embarked on a journey to Mount Doom to destroy an evil ring. During this journey, the Fellowship lost Gandalf in a battle with a wicked demon. This event took the wind out of the sails of the Fellowship, and Frodo was in a dark place, as he had known Gandalf since he was a kid. 

But then, in the elven region of Lothlorien, the Fellowship had contact with Galadriel, a royal elf who had very strong magical powers. Galadriel gifted Frodo a phial (a bright light) which contained the light of Earendil, the most favorite star of the elves. The light of the phial, when wielded by Frodo, had magical effects on the enemies who tried to defeat Frodo, including a very large spider inside a very dark cave. J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, used the light of the phial as a metaphor for the power of light which overcomes darkness. 

Tolkien knew how important light was on a dark path, and so did the Psalmist of The Bible. The word “lamp” is used three times in the Psalms. The Psalmist knew that God “lit his lamp,” and that the Lord God “lit his darkness” (Psalm 18:28). The word “light” is used 33 times in the Psalms. In Psalm 36:9, the Psalmist refers to God as a fountain of life and light. For those who know God and seek Him as the source, God will make light dawn in the darkness for He is gracious, merciful, and righteous (Psalm 112:4). The Psalmist describes God’s Word as a lamp carried on his journey to distinguish the way and to keep him from stumbling off course and going astray. The light of God’s Word provides guidance and allows us to see the right direction. 

2 Peter 1:19 describes God’s Word as a reliable lamp shining in a dark place: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 


Therefore, as God’s children, we should take great comfort in knowing that God’s Word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” In other areas of the Bible, God’s Word is referred to as a sharp sword (Hebrews 4:12). Lamps, lights, and swords help us get through dark and trying times. God gives us weapons for the journey, and He never leaves us alone (Hebrews 13:5). In effect, Jesus is a guide for us for our travels through life on earth. After all, God knows this earth is truly not our home.

We see a similar passage in Proverbs 6:23, which says, “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” Jesus, in guiding us, also offers us correction and instruction when needed. The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives (Hebrews 12:6). 

In Webster’s 1828 dictionary, Noah Webster defined a guide (noun) like this:

“1. A person who leads or directs another in his way or course; a conductor.” 
“2. One who directs another in his conduct or course of life.”

In a world full of calamity at every turn, we need a Guide who will “direct us in our conduct or course of life.” The wide path is not our goal, but it looks tempting and is easy. The narrow path is hard, and few seek it. Jesus not only helps us choose our path, He helps us while we are on our path. 

I can personally recall going through a very dark time in my life in mid-to-late 2020 when experiencing a family crisis. When going through that pit of despair, I remember my pastors telling me beforehand (I am paraphrasing): “You have to have your doctrine and belief system when suffering occurs. You cannot wait to become theologically sound when suffering comes at you because it will be too late. And with suffering (for a Christian), it’s not “if”, but “when”. 

During that dark time on what seemed like the toughest, darkest, most narrow path I have ever been on in my life, I resorted to God’s Word because I knew it to be true. However, nothing I read or studied or prayed seemed to have any lasting impact. But after the darkness lifted, I realized that I was leaning way too much on my own understanding, and I wasn’t going deep enough with God. I was only scratching the surface. Rather than allowing God’s Word to work as a lamp or a light, I was only speaking lies to myself, and I was not applying the truth of God’s Word.

It wasn’t until several trusted friends, family members, and mentors pointed out some critical thinking errors I was engaging in that after about a year, God’s Word came back more alive and more powerful than I have ever experienced. I didn’t realize until later that I did not need a new revelation. I needed to trust and follow the guidance of Christ with the only revelation that would transform me: God’s Word.

Jon Bloom says that, “spiritual light and life, like natural light and life, are woven inextricably together.” This happens through God’s redemptive purposes seen throughout the entire story of the Bible. 

John 1:5 says that the light (of Christ) shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. We see through the rest of the Bible that darkness will not overcome it. 

Pastor John Piper says, “We need not only revelation coming to us from outside, namely the Bible, we need transformation coming to us inside from the Holy Spirit. The word and the Spirit together are the leadership that we need.”

Got Questions.org says, “The Word of God is the living energy that actively provides illumination, insight, direction, and guidance for our pilgrimage through a dark and sinful world.”

Let’s lean on Christ as our guide, rely on God’s Word as a light, and trust in the transformational and regenerating power of the Spirit. No matter what the world throws at us, these things will lead us through them as we travel down the narrow, dark paths of life.