Saturday, May 4, 2002
Saturday, May 4, 2002
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Admiral Byrd could not see his hut or anything else in the freezing blizzard that would guide
him to safety. He knew that he would freeze to death if he didn't find the shelter of his hut
quickly. He also knew that if he struck out blindly, without a central reference point for a sense
of direction, he would become hopelessly lost. Refusing to panic, the admiral assessed the
situation. In his hand was a 10-foot pole that he carried with him to probe for holes in the ice as
he walked. He struck the pole in the snow and tied his bright-colored scarf to it. Then he began
looking for the hut, keeping the pole in sight as a central reference point, knowing that he
could always return to it if necessary.
He struck out, first in one direction, then in another, always keeping the pole and scarf in sight.
Three times he came back to his point of reference; on the fourth try, he found his hut. His life
was saved.
Hopefully, none of us will ever find ourselves in the same situation that Admiral Byrd was in.
But think about it. Are there not many times in your life when a crisis occurs; when you just
don't know which way to turn? At these times, you need a point of reference; a sense of
direction. The Bible should always be our point of reference.
(Psalm 119.105
NRSV)
Admiral Byrd, the famous explorer, once found himself about 100 yards away from the safety
of his South Pole hut when a sudden blizzard hit. The temperature was several degrees below
zero, and the snow was blinding. There were no landmarks in the white expanse of snow and
ice-covered sea that would help him get his bearings. Yet he knew that if he didn't find the
comparative warmth and safety of his hut, he would freeze to death in a matter of minutes.
Dear God, as I read your word, ingrain it into my being. Amen.
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