Light In The Darkness

“Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” (Ps 97:11 AV)

The word ‘light’ is used here metaphorically.  The word means a luminary.  Like the sun, moon, and stars give their light for a reason, God does the same for us.  The psalmist is not speaking of God’s provision of those sources of natural illumination.  He is not sharing the wonderous truth that God provides candles and lightbulbs.  This light, like all light, is the source of life, growth, direction, and hope.  This light is that provision that enables us to journey through an environment filled with darkness.  This light is promised to the righteous and upright in heart.  This truth is that truth that enables the saint who walks with God to endure through very difficult times whereas those who live in darkness are subjected to the effects of darkness.  As long as we walk with God in righteousness and an upright heart, there is hope and life to be found.

A thought occurred to me.  Since we live in the day and sleep in the night, we are unaware of how dark creation truly is.  If we could travel as they do in science fiction movies or shows like Star Trek, we would notice a truth that escapes us here on earth.  We truly dwell amid the darkness.  The stars, sun, moon, and galaxies may pierce the darkness, but the universe is pretty dark.  There is more darkness than there is light.  We can travel out of the well lite city and notice in the night sky how illuminated it is with all the stars God has placed there.  We can travel a bit farther, escaping all the smog and even pick up the Milky Way galaxy.  But the vast majority of the sky is taken up with darkness.  Darkness is our abode.  This doesn’t mean we have to be subject to it.  We enjoy the darkness, but we cannot permanently dwell in it.  We need a source of light.  A flashlight, a headlamp, or the moon itself is welcomed as we travel along our path.  We need that light to function.  And when there is a light source that pierces the darkness and gives us direction and hope, we are very glad for that light source.  As has happened many a time, a deer hunt in the evening hours can become a challenge.  As night falls and we make our way back to the truck, it is often those lights in the distance that informs us we are traveling in the right direction.

God does not leave His faithful saints in this dark world without hope and life.  He gives the light of His word.  He gives the light of His Spirit.  He gives us the light of His people.  He gives all sorts of sources of light.  The thing is, we can become so accustomed to the dark that we avoid those sources of light that bring hope, peace, and joy to the soul.  We turn off the flashlight as we head to the truck because we enjoy the darkness, and invariably step in a hole, spraining our foot.  Or we shut out all light so we can sleep, but then hear a noise and begin to worry.  Light offers more information.  More input into our brain brings more definition in the darkness.  Light eases the anxiety brought about by ignorance.  Light offers perspective.  Light provides truth.  When God created, the first thing He created was light.  Before He created those natural sources of light like the sun, moon, and stars, He created light.  He foreknew sin would enter His creation and He gave a source of hope and life that would pierce through the darkness of sin to give those who love Him all they need to flourish amid that darkness.  Praise be to God.