Light of God Veiled
Read: Habakkuk 3:1-6 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. (v. 4) Watching the sun dip into Lake Michigan on a wintery evening is glorious, but darkness comes early and swiftly. Perhaps God closes his hand to veil the power of light, but whether we […]
The Good Light of Exposure
Read: Micah 7:7-9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment . . . He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. (v. 9) The idea of exposure often carries with it the murky film […]
Day of the Lord Is Darkness
Read: Amos 5:16-24 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him. (vv. 18-19) I have been convicted by Amos over one of my dearest desires. […]
Judgment as Light
Read: Hosea 6:1-7 My judgment goes forth as the light. (v. 5) To understand how God’s judgment goes forth as light, we need to understand how light works. There’s the light we see, which is obvious to all of us. But there’s a whole spectrum of light we can’t see. Did you know that X-rays, […]
Light Dwells with God
Read: Daniel 2:17-30 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. (v. 22) So much of life is about perspective. For example, at 30,000 feet in the air, the patchwork quilt of earth below holds its secrets while you gain perspective on clouds and […]
Deep Darkness
Read: Jeremiah 13:11, 15-17 Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness. (v. 16) There are four little goings-on that universally create joy, making even the gloomiest heart […]
Light of Our Own Fires
Read: Isaiah 50:4-11 Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment. (v. 11) No one wants to admit relating to this verse, but the fires I’ve lit and torches I’ve kindled burn long, years after I’ve […]
Walking in Darkness . . . without Light
Read: Isaiah 50:4-11 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. (v. 10) The prophet Isaiah here admits to the people of Israel that there are times a […]
More Gain in Light
Read: Ecclesiastes 2:1-14 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly . . . more gain in light than in darkness. (v. 13) In my early 20s, it took nothing to run a couple of miles. My body didn’t hurt, my heart and lungs were happy, so running was more […]