He is the light. He is our light. And in his light we find hope
By Dean Collins
In God’s light we see light. That’s what David said in Psalm 36. And as Paul reminds believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:5, we are children of the light and not children of darkness. If we want to live with purpose, it is essential that we keep our hearts and minds focused on the light that was and is revealed in Christ Jesus, the hope of the world.
Over the next 10 months in America, billions of dollars will be spent trying to convince us there is a candidate we can have confidence in to lead the country, change a trajectory, unite the nation, and even bring hope to the world. We will be inundated with messages about who speaks truth and who speaks lies. And while we have the privilege of choosing a candidate to lead the country, don’t be confused for even one second about where we can and must place our faith and hope.
Psalm 36, along with Psalm 1, gives us a clear picture of the steadfast love of God and where we are to place our hope, but that’s not all. David also gives us a clear picture of those who have no fear of God and those who do.
In the first 4 verses of Psalm 36 we have a written portrait of the person who chooses to reject God:
There is no fear of God before his eyes
He flatters himself in his eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit
He has ceased to act wisely and do good
He plots trouble
He sets himself in a way that is not good
He does not reject evil
In Psalm 1 we learn the outcome of the person who rejects God:
They are like chaff that the wind blows away
They will not stand in the judgment
They will not stand in the congregation of the righteous
They will perish
But there is good news in these two psalms! We have choices. We can choose to live our lives in the light of Christ and thereby bring others to see and receive the steadfast love of God.
In the middle section of Psalm 36 we are given a beautiful reminder of God’s love and faithfulness. David describes God’s love this way:
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O. God!”
David continues by telling us that choosing to pursue God brings us the following benefits:
We take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings
We feast on the abundance of God’s house
We drink from the river of God’s delights
We experience the fountain of life
In God’s light we continue to see light
Psalm 1 describes those who accept God as those who are planted by streams of water and bear fruit in season and whose leaves never wither. In fact, those who live in the light live in the ultimate prosperity of God’s grace.
As this year progresses and we are given many false narratives of hope, we would do well not only to consider the character of those making such promises but more importantly, to turn off their messages and choose to focus on our real and eternal hope.
We are not of darkness. We are the children of the light. As we share the light of Christ through our words and deeds, only then will the world find hope and live in peace.
Father give us clarity and discernment when we hear messages and promises from those who do not anchor their lives in you. You are the light of our path. Increase our faith that we might cling to you and reject any messages that are not rooted in your steadfast love and illuminated by your light. Help us to share your love with our words and by our actions that others might find you and discover real hope, life, and peace through Christ our Lord. Amen
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 36:1-12; 1:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:5 ESV
Photo by Jacob Owen at unsplash.com.
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