Psalm 139:11,12
Have you ever experienced darkness? The type of darkness where you cannot see your hand in front of you? I grew up in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, and if there is one thing that I can tell you about Brooklyn, there is a light on somewhere. At 1:00 in the morning, you can still hear cars driving by, and people talking outside. There were street lights, traffic lights, storefront lights, and apartment lights. As a child, I had a night light in the corner of my room that became my best friend. When my parents kissed me goodnight and tucked me in, they turned off the room light, and then my little night light would flicker on. What I considered "darkness" still had a presence of light that gave me comfort. It wasn't until I visited Jamaica, that I experienced real darkness. In the more rural areas of Jamaica, where street lights, and traffic lights, and storefront lights, and apartment lights do not exist...you will experience true darkness. If the sun goes down, and you are left without a lamp, you are in trouble.
Darkness, by definition, is the partial or total absence of light. Without a lamp or the subtle presence of the moonlight, I was unable to see my hand right in front of my face. There is something about darkness that can make a person lose confidence and security. I rely so much on sight, that when it is taken away, I immediately feel weak and powerless. The fear of what I cannot see consumes me. My eyes are open, but I cannot see. I am alive, but my sight is dead. I become more careful with every step. My arms are flailing about in front of me because of blind navigation. Darkness consumes me.
Have you ever experienced darkness? I’m not referring to just physical darkness either. Darkness can consume you spiritually, emotionally, and even mentally. There are times, in our journey with the Lord, that we will experience a period of darkness. It is a season where your eyes are open, but you find it difficult to see. On the outside, people may think that you are fine, but internally, you are afraid of every step you take because you lack the confidence and security you used to possess...because you can’t see. You can’t see spiritually. You can’t see emotionally. The darkness consumes you. A person would ask, “How did I get here? How did this happen to me?” The truth is: it is possible to love the Lord, and still experience a traumatic event that results in “turning the light off” in you emotionally. The darkness is real.
Darkness is also a place where we try to hide. Our lack of sight convinces us that people will not be able to see us either. “If I can’t see me...they can’t see me either.” In darkness, we can hide from our emotions, our thoughts, our responsibilities, and tragically, our heartfelt receptivity to the Word of God. People party in darkness. People get drunk and high in darkness. People enter chat rooms and “DM’s” in darkness. Sin creates a darkness that we find suitable to hide from God.
In verses 11 and 12 of Psalm 139, David does not deny the fact that the darkness is real. In fact, he says, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” The God that we serve is not afraid of the dark. He is not afraid of your darkness or the darkness that you hide yourself in. There is nothing that you do in secret that is not perfectly seen by your Heavenly Father. Luke 18:17 states, “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” David’s confidence, both in times of hurt and disobedience, came from knowing that God “sees” everything. The Lord knows when you are lost and hurt, and he knows when you are trying to hide in disobedience. He sees you, and nothing is hidden from Him. Be encouraged today. If you are living a life of disobedience, then run back to Him. If you are hurting and discouraged, know that He sees you, and is actively working everything out for your good. Don’t give up. The “Son” will rise against your darkness.
Now that’s Good Word!
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