He's got the whole sun in His hands, too

I painted a picture a few weeks ago of a pair of yellow rayban sunglasses. I've been contemplating what to do with it for a while, but that contemplation has gone. I'm not quite going to give away the details, but it's brought to light (hmmm) some interesting facts I'd like to point out.

2 Samuel 22 has to be one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for many reasons, but let's look specifically at verse 29: LORD, You are my lamp; the LORD illuminates my darkness. Though we are children of GOD, the most High, we are full of the darkness of us. Our worry, fear, doubt, and distrust in the One who CAN be trusted...yet He illuminates that darkness. Even when we can't seem to find one ounce of light in ourselves, HE shines on us, in us, and through us. Much like Jimmy Needham said in a song of his, we are merely nightlights amidst the blazing sun or SON in this case. How incredible, though, to be certain..to be sure...that our darkness is not enough to devastate the light that is our GOD, but rather...His light is enough to devastate our mortal darkness.

We all know the story of Job. To sum it up as we all know it, satan tested him to make him stumble and curse GOD, but he would not do it. GOD then blessed him beyond what he could have dreamed. I know I'd love to have that sort of faith and passion for the LORD, but I'm far from it. It's hard enough for me to deal with the daily persecution against my own flesh, let alone to endure anything close to Job's plight. And let's be serious, I don't want to. What amazes me, though, is Job's humility. In Job 33:28 he says, He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will continue to see the light."  He knew what was devastating his darkness...he was more than aware of his humanity and did not expect anything from GOD to prevent him from getting exactly what his mortality deserved... if you continue over the next two verses Job says this: GOD certainly does all these things two or three times to a man in order to turn him back from the Pit so he may shine with the light of life. It's easy to quote James 1:2 and not live it, but this guy lived it. He saw and accepted in a huge way a bigger picture that many of us, including myself, don't stop to realize or even truly KNOW. GOD is in control of all. We often go through the same tests over and over because GOD is shaping us, chiseling off the flesh and making us more like Him. He wants US to shine with the light of life. the Light of life.

On a 'lighter' note, turn to Psalm 18:28: LORD, You light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness. This verse is incredible. Not meaning to in any way disrespect the Word or disgrace it, but God's the one who turns us on. It's so easy to get excited that Julie Andrews is coming to Atlanta or that Jimmy Needham is playing in Macon and I get to see him. It's second nature to be giddy over a crush or new office supplies (and yes I put those together for a reason), but when somebody starts talking about the LORD, or someone mentions His name how often do we get excited? Does it take being in a large group for us to get in the Spirit? It's not like football or baseball. It's not a competition. GOD should be the one who just lights our fire. There's a church in Macon called the "Word Aflame" church or something along those lines...It should be "disciples aflame" or something along those lines. We should just be lit.up. by Him!! What turns you on?

Okay, we've all heard the song "He wraps Himself in light and darkness tries to hide and trembles at his voice - how GREAT is our God?!" well....Psalm 104:2 expands on that: "He wraps Himself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy."  The rest of the chapter is wonderful, but this verse hits on God being our light. He IS light. In Him there is NO darkness (see 1 John 1:5). If we are IN HIM, we cannot be darkness...Like 2 Samuel and Psalm both have said, HE ILLUMINATES OUR DARKNESS. Therefore, the sin that we have is destroyed in Him! I don't know about you, but there's some pretty dark areas of my life that I like to keep hidden. I've put them into a box and every once in a while will go back and take inventory. I put my sin there. God says He forgives me, but I'm still guilty. but He wraps Himself in light. Those sins, though I won't let go of them because I have horrible control issues, can be destroyed if I'll give them to Him, because He wraps Himself in light. He illuminates my darkness.

This is just one of those Hallelujah moments - Isaiah 60:19-20 says, "The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not fade; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will be over." Praise Adonai for the day when the sun and moon are no longer our source of light, but THE LIGHT!

I've got tons of other verses that GOD has really just blessed. I'm serous - it's incredible how many times light is spoken of in the Bible, regardless of your translation. And they're ALL worth reading and mulling over for a moment or two. It takes the age-old concept of God being light to another level. Sometimes we become calloused to those sayings or verses that we've recited since childhood, but when you really look at it, dig through it, and think about it, you'll be surprised what you'll find. When I humble myself to take the time and LOOK, I can't help but be amazed.

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edit: Back to the idea of God illuminating our darkness...go read Acts 9:3...talk about illuminating some darkness.