2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV): “You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. ”
Deep darkness is really dark. I’m not talking about the darkness at night. Night time is different. Where I live I can see at night. On cloudless nights there are stars and sometimes moonlight. On cloudy nights the ambient light from Kansas City allows me to still see.
The really dark darkness is the absence of light. That type of darkness means the I can open and close my eyes and there is no difference. There is no light. That type of darkness can be soul searching. I’ve experienced that type of darkness a few times in my lifetime. I don’t really like it for any length of time.
In the above verse King David says that the Lord is his lamp. In other words, God was his light. The idea of God being light is found throughout the Bible. God created light on the first day of creation. John, in the first verses of his first letter, states that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). I think King David understood God in this way. Whenever King David was in a dark place, either physically or spiritually, he turned to God to be able to see.
This past year has been dark at times. I know that I have had my frustrations. I have felt like I have been in the midst of darkness because things have simply been out of my control. When I feel that way, I know that I can join King David and embrace God to show me the way I need to go. God is my flashlight to allow me to see. With God, I can see the issues that are important, I can understand how I should respond to people and situations. I can bask in His light and have a peace that is beyond understanding. What a blessing it is for me to trust in Jesus and enjoy the light of His presence.
Prayer: Dear God, living in the temporary can lead me to think that darkness is having its way. With You, I know that there is no darkness. With You as my lamp, You turn my darkness into light.
