"The ultimate measure of a man
is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,
but where he stands
at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King Jr.
The Light of His Countenance:
When I was in Navy Boot Camp, in Great Lakes Illinois, I had the distinct honor of having guard duty in the middle of a cold winter night. I was guarding a garbage dumpster in a remote area behind our barracks. Oh the honor!
I recall wondering, “Who in their right mind would break in to a secure naval base to steal garbage?” Of course it had nothing to do with the garbage, and everything to do with providing recruits with responsibility (however slight that might be.)
I dutifully marched back and forth with my unloaded rifle, as the blood seemed to abandon my feet and hands in the hard cold and windy night air. It was difficult enough to have to perform such a duty, but the darkness seemed to intensify the discomfort of the task.
I began to take note of the night sky. Although it was not a crystal clear night, you could clearly make out stars as they peaked in and out of the wandering clouds. I began searching for the few constellations that I knew, anything to occupy my mind, and keep it off the cold buffeting wind sneaking though my pea-coat.
About two o’clock in the morning, I happened to turn to the north and was immediately taken back by an unusual pink glow far away in the sky. It was very distant, but distinctly pink, then purple, and back to pink. I studied the glow as it danced between the cloud-cover, trying to comprehend what it was. The fascinating glow turned out to be a slight glimpse of the northern lights. The glow continued on and off for twenty minutes or so, and then vanished. I was devastated to see it go, realizing that it had broken the depressing grip of the darkness, bringing me a welcome reprieve (as slight as it was, so far away - yet fascinating). It warmed my spirits in the middle of the cold and darkness. It sustained me through the night until the early morning light which brought the hope of the warmth and encouragement of the sun’s light.
“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.”
Psalm 130:5-6 NASB
The morning light has been held in high esteem my mariners, soldiers, travelers, explorers and workers who face the perils and loneliness of the night. The morning brings hope of life and liberty.
In the spiritual realm it is no different. Jesus is the Light of the world, in Him there is no darkness at all. When we believers find ourselves in spiritual darkness, we have but one hope – the light of His countenance. We long for and crave His presence as the watchman longs for the dawn.
If we desire the light of God to shine on our lives daily, we must be disciplined to daily wait on Him.
God is light. Paul said,
When I was in Navy Boot Camp, in Great Lakes Illinois, I had the distinct honor of having guard duty in the middle of a cold winter night. I was guarding a garbage dumpster in a remote area behind our barracks. Oh the honor!
I recall wondering, “Who in their right mind would break in to a secure naval base to steal garbage?” Of course it had nothing to do with the garbage, and everything to do with providing recruits with responsibility (however slight that might be.)
I dutifully marched back and forth with my unloaded rifle, as the blood seemed to abandon my feet and hands in the hard cold and windy night air. It was difficult enough to have to perform such a duty, but the darkness seemed to intensify the discomfort of the task.
I began to take note of the night sky. Although it was not a crystal clear night, you could clearly make out stars as they peaked in and out of the wandering clouds. I began searching for the few constellations that I knew, anything to occupy my mind, and keep it off the cold buffeting wind sneaking though my pea-coat.
About two o’clock in the morning, I happened to turn to the north and was immediately taken back by an unusual pink glow far away in the sky. It was very distant, but distinctly pink, then purple, and back to pink. I studied the glow as it danced between the cloud-cover, trying to comprehend what it was. The fascinating glow turned out to be a slight glimpse of the northern lights. The glow continued on and off for twenty minutes or so, and then vanished. I was devastated to see it go, realizing that it had broken the depressing grip of the darkness, bringing me a welcome reprieve (as slight as it was, so far away - yet fascinating). It warmed my spirits in the middle of the cold and darkness. It sustained me through the night until the early morning light which brought the hope of the warmth and encouragement of the sun’s light.
“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.”
Psalm 130:5-6 NASB
The morning light has been held in high esteem my mariners, soldiers, travelers, explorers and workers who face the perils and loneliness of the night. The morning brings hope of life and liberty.
In the spiritual realm it is no different. Jesus is the Light of the world, in Him there is no darkness at all. When we believers find ourselves in spiritual darkness, we have but one hope – the light of His countenance. We long for and crave His presence as the watchman longs for the dawn.
If we desire the light of God to shine on our lives daily, we must be disciplined to daily wait on Him.
God is light. Paul said,
“For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 NASB
Just as the Sun provides light and warmth which are essential to preserving life of the earth, God also shines the light of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, into our hearts – His love and His life, through His glory.
The Sun is 93 million miles (average) from the earth. The flowers, grasses, trees and plants can do nothing to assure it’s life giving flow of light and warmth. It drives the hydrological cycle which provides and cleanses the life giving water necessary for all living creatures. We do not have to care about that provision, it is simply there for our benefit and enjoyment.
Most of nature unconsciously enjoys these benefits; but we who live by grace need to lovingly accept, acknowledge and abide in both the Sun, and the Son.
To abide in the light of God is the delight and responsibility of every believer. His light and life is to be sought with reckless abandon until it fills us with His abundant life and the brightness it brings, to us, and to those we minister to.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
1 John 1:7 NASB
God is light, and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). We need to take the time to be still, to rest in Him, to seek His presence that we might know His light and life.
Often, we who see in part through a cloudy mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), won’t fully understand. But the light of His countenance is faithful to bring illumination to our darkness – there and there alone will we find rest and solace in the darkness… as we are bathed in His light.
30 fkj
2 Corinthians 4:6 NASB
Just as the Sun provides light and warmth which are essential to preserving life of the earth, God also shines the light of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, into our hearts – His love and His life, through His glory.
The Sun is 93 million miles (average) from the earth. The flowers, grasses, trees and plants can do nothing to assure it’s life giving flow of light and warmth. It drives the hydrological cycle which provides and cleanses the life giving water necessary for all living creatures. We do not have to care about that provision, it is simply there for our benefit and enjoyment.
Most of nature unconsciously enjoys these benefits; but we who live by grace need to lovingly accept, acknowledge and abide in both the Sun, and the Son.
To abide in the light of God is the delight and responsibility of every believer. His light and life is to be sought with reckless abandon until it fills us with His abundant life and the brightness it brings, to us, and to those we minister to.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
1 John 1:7 NASB
God is light, and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). We need to take the time to be still, to rest in Him, to seek His presence that we might know His light and life.
Often, we who see in part through a cloudy mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), won’t fully understand. But the light of His countenance is faithful to bring illumination to our darkness – there and there alone will we find rest and solace in the darkness… as we are bathed in His light.
30 fkj
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