A light shines in the dark for honest people, for those who are merciful and kind and good.
Psalm 112:4 NCV
We have spoken this week of acting out what we believe and today we are promised if we do have the fear of the Lord, which we talked about on Monday, there is a great promise in that we will have Assured illumination.
There is a wonderful story about the writer Robert Louis Stevenson when he was a child. The story is told that one night his nanny came into his nursery to put him to bed. She found the little boy looking intently out of his bedroom window. When she called to him, he continued staring into the darkness, so she went over to ask him what he found so interesting outside. As she peered over his shoulder, she saw the lamplighter walking down the street, lighting the street lamps. Little Robert responded, “Look, Nanny. I’m watching as that man puts holes in the darkness.”
You too can put a “hole in the darkness.” By doing what we talked about yesterday, living an honest and integral life. This world may be unscrupulous and lack values, but we can show the world a better way to live by following Jesus guidelines and poking holes in the darkness.
Notice the promise is to the honest or some versions say the “upright” man, That word upright implies character and when we display our character it is likened to light springing up to him when he is in darkness. It is because the character is “really” pure and honest, so that whatever cloud may come over it for a time, and whether it be temporary, prolonged or obscured, ultimately character will appear as it really is. Light will come in upon the darkness. The clouds of the storm will break away.
There is no guarantee of immunity from darkness, but there is the promise that light will rise in the darkness. In all the dark times of life, the Lord shows Himself to be gracious, and full of compassion. We are told that God has promised that he will not prevent things happening to us, but He will save us in them. He will be as I say in the boat rowing us through the storm of darkness.
So if your life at present is dark and seems empty God reminds you He is the light of the world and the darkness cannot extinguish His light. Just the opposite. Remember if you go into a very dark room and strike a tiny match you can illuminate that dark room. That is what God promises you and whatever your situation is He is more than a match for it.
Finally, Jesus just wants us to keep our integrity and honesty and most of all our fear (reverence) of Him in every situation and be His representative to a world in which He still wants to give Assured illumination. One day we will come out of our dark situation in regarding the different times we are living in. Each week brings some more hope and if we continue to act according to the current guidelines we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
One thing is for sure if we keep our relationship with God we will be Assured of illumination. Why? Because God said so and also we will know His compassion and grace in our lives. Let us remain honest in all that we do as the children’s song informs us:-
Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light,
Like a little candle burning in the night;
In this world of darkness, we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine, first of all for Him;
Well He sees and knows it if our light is dim;
He looks down from heaven, sees us shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine, then, for all around
Many kinds of darkness in this world abound:
Sin, and want, and sorrow—we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine, as we work for Him,
Bringing those that wander from the paths of sin;
He will ever help us, if we shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
I don’t believe the writer was telling us to head to a small corner in the literal sense, but wherever you are SHINE or as Graham Kendrick so beautiful puts it SHINE JESUS SHINE, FILL THIS LAND WITH YOUR GLORY
Be Blessed and Keep Safe