Commitment – Stepping in the Light

“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

These verses are often used in wedding ceremonies, engraved on wedding gifts, and printed on items that are passed out to guests as mementos of the special occasion. These are wonderful words of commitment; but in their original context, they have nothing to do with a wedding. Naomi had lost her husband and her two sons while living in the land of Moab. She had decided to go back home to the land of Judah, and she encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to their families in Moab. Orpah turned back, but Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law. No matter how much Naomi pleaded with Ruth to go back to her parents, Ruth remained steadfast in her desire to go with Naomi, and she made it clear that she intended for their relationship to be permanent. Ruth not only promised to go with Naomi and stay with her; but she promised to worship Naomi’s God, to become a citizen of Naomi’s homeland, and to live the rest of her life there. As we read the book of Ruth, we can see that Ruth did exactly as she said she would.

It seems that many people in our society today are afraid of commitment, but commitment is what gives us stability. We need to be committed to God, to our marriages, and to our families. Can you say that you are as committed as Ruth was?

Morning: Ruth 1-4

Evening: Luke 8:1-25

About This Site

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

If you were to find yourself walking down a path in the dark of night with only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, you wouldn’t be able to see very far ahead. You would be able to see just enough of the pathway to know which direction to take your next step and enough of the ground to choose the best place for your feet. When it comes to our daily lives, God’s Word is a lot like that lantern. It will not show us the whole path at once, but it is exactly what we need to help us decide how to take the next step.

The Bible is our source of spiritual light, and if we consistently seek God’s direction as we read from its pages, we will always have enough light for our next step along the pathway of life. It is then that we are, in the words of an old gospel song, “stepping in the light.”

The goal of this devotional guide is to encourage you to spend time in the Word of God each day. Reading the passages listed at the bottom of the page will take you all the way through the Bible in one year. The devotional thought for each day is taken from a text within that day’s reading, so even that small daily portion of reading will take you on a journey through God’s Word. It is my prayer that this guide would help you to walk closer to the Lord and that you will find yourself taking each step in the light of His Word.