The Light Dawns

Psalm 112:4
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.


Everyone experiences dark and difficult times in life, Christian or not, it’s a part of living. However, as Christians, the dark is not the same for us as it is for the rest of the world. We may be in darkness, in despair, but because we have Christ, we always have hope. I love how this verse tells us that even in darkness, the light is dawning - Christ is always at work, and He is always present. It may not dawn today or tomorrow, but we can rest assured that it will.

I also notice that the verse is speaking specifically to those who are upright, and it says gracious, compassionate, and righteous, as well. When I look at that, I begin to wonder if this verse really does apply to me. It does, simply because we are all those things in Christ, it has nothing to do with our own works and goodness. However, it makes me look a little deeper.

We see in Psalm 119:105 that "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." It occurs to me that when we are in the Word, even though, in the darkness, it seems to be so dry and distant, God will use it to pull us through the darkness. He will use it to illuminate our paths, while we wander in desolation and despair - we may not be able to see all around us, but the path before us - where we must go next - will be brightly lit. There is so much in His Word that offers us hope and peace. And when we are in the Word, we really are a more gracious and compassionate people, are we not? God has given us a light in His Word, it is too bad that when we need it most, we often-times use it least.

So, this verse has a two-fold impact on me right now. First, when things seem hopeless, and we begin to wonder when life will turn around, we need not look any farther than the throne of God. For it is there that we find hope, and peace, and light. Second, when I am in that dark place, and I really feel like closing my Bible, and retreating to my favorite spot, those are the times when I really need my daily dose of God’s Word. Even if it’s not deep and insightful, God will still use His living Word to draw us to Him, and shed some light on our dreary paths.

I love that our God understands that we will have ups and downs, mountains and valleys, days of brilliant "Sonshine" and nights with the darkest skies. And because of His understanding, His love, His compassion, He has provided for us, in each and every circumstance, that we can always go to Him and find hope in all that life throws at us. Praise and glory!