I Will Be Your Light

I Will Be Your Light
The night is dark, I am far from home.
Frightened and uncertain, weary and alone.

Am I lost? Do I know the way?
My soul cries to my God?
Then my soul is calmed as I hear these words of love.

Chorus:
I will be your light in the darkness,
I will keep you safe through the storm,
I will give you hope as I prepare the way,
Strength to battle day by day,
And if you have faith and obey,
I will lead you home.

I lift my head; the answer brings me peace.
With my hand in His, my trust in Him I place.
So I take a step once more on a path I cannot see.
The Spirit's light will guide, the light that's within me.

Chorus

So when the storm comes, I will not fear.
For in the darkness, He always is near.
So I will turn to Him, no matter what,
And follow Him, and willingly I'll serve Him,
Because He knows the way.

Chorus
Chorus repeat

I will lead you home.
I will lead you home.

Nephi's is a story that has spoken straight to my heart for a long time. There must be a good reason that it's the first part of the Book of Mormon, so we get to read it so much when we start the book over after hitting a wall when Isaiah comes up in 2 Nephi. We get vivid, small bits of day-to-day life within families over a period of many years in various trying circumstances, a slice of daily life we don't get too often. That's why I love the story of Nephi--it's so real--it could have been us. At no time did it affect me more than spring of 1999 when I began reading the Book of Mormon again. At this time, I was wondering what turn my life was going to take--I wasn't married--absolutely no prospects--was thinking very seriously about graduate study, and was living alone. As I read the story of Nephi again, I was struck by how Nephi, with his family, left Jerusalem, on Lehi's word only, then traveled in the wilderness for 8 long years. They didn't know how long they would need to continue, or exactly where they were going. But they did know it was the promised land. For them, life was getting up day after day, with little to no change from the day before, not knowing if they would have to have hundreds more days just like that. But they kept on getting up and enduring, knowing there indeed was a goal. And who would lead them? The Lord and his Light. In the first half of 1 Nephi 17, we read of how they learned to endure and the way the Lord provided for them--in verse it tells us how He literally provided the light for them to use--miraculously making their meat sweet so that they didn't need fire, to being the light that showed them the way in the wilderness, in the darkness, a darkness that they were not sure would turn to light. They just kept following, keeping hope in the promise that as long as they kept the commandments and had faith, he would continue to lead them, day after day, night after night, preparing the way head one day, even one step at a time until they reached the Promised Land. This scripture is sort of a theme for my life--sometimes I don't know where I'm going, other than I know my ultimate goal is eternal life and I know that I need to obey Him and follow Him as best as I can so I can get there. He will help me each step of the way, preparing the way so that I can take each of those steps, whether on a path that is seen with eyes or only with the eye of faith. Those steps multiplied over many days of just following constitute a journey that we can look back on and be grateful for, as we realize that He truly led us, prepared the way for us, provided for us, protected us, and ultimately delivered us. He has led and guided me. And as hard as it can be to continue getting up day after day, not knowing where the end of the "wilderness" may be, I know that if I continue to obey, He is preparing the way even now so that I will someday come into the Promised Land and praise him as I look back, survey the journey, and realize my deliverance. He really is there--go to Him, obey Him, follow Him, and trust Him--He knows the way!!!


Because this scripture means so much to me and is quite poetic, I have always wanted to set a song to it. I've had the basic idea for the chorus for quite some time, with minor modifications, and have added the verses as time has progressed. It probably came to its final form (although recently I decided to change the chorus from "He will give me hope through trials on my way" to "...hope as I prepare the way," since that is one of the most important concepts here) about 2006. I enjoy singing the words to it--unfortunately as I have not recorded the vocals yet and the piano was only recorded as a vocal accompaniment track, the melody isn't clear yet. But it will be! I know it--because He'll prepare the way!