From Darkness to Brightness

From Darkness to Brightness

      Without a doubt, the darkness of COVID-19, the violent riots, the lying, accusatory and angry tone of politicians and those who support them is taking its toll. COVID-19 has created more sickness than its own viral effects. Some are experiencing a cabin fever that is meant only for the deepest part of winter. It’s hard to plan events and ministry. It’s hard to plan vacations or even get-a-ways. It’s even hard to have simple fellowship. And if you do find some fellowship, don’t mention anything political. Don’t even joke about it. People are testy these days.

In Psalm 13, David is all alone in a cave. He is being pursued and the powers-to-be want him dead. It is a very dark time for him. Read the first two verses: 

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long will I store up anxious concerns within

  me, agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?

David feels abandoned even by God Himself. He is filled with anxiety and wondering how long this will continue.

There are people all around us, maybe some of you reading this, who feel close to the same way. The virus has you paralyzed in the fear that even the necessary things like getting groceries, going to work, putting gas in your car will necessarily expose you to being sick and maybe even death itself. Their anxiety is through the roof. And who knows how long this will continue?

Look at the last two verses of Psalm 13:

5 But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
6 I will sing to the Lord because he has

treated me generously.

How did David get from verses 1-2 to verses 5-6? He is now trusting God’s faithful love, rejoicing in deliverance and singing to the Lord for His generous treatment. The clue is in verse 3, “Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death.” David is crying out to the Lord and asking God to restore brightness to his eyes. In other words, “Lord, help me see You in this. Help me see it the way you see it.”

David found God’s greatness in his situation because he asked God to help him see it. I imagine that after David prayed this, he actively looked for God – remembering Who God is, what He has done as well as little clues of His work. What would happen if you and I did that every time darkness shadowed our lives? I imagine we would be trusting God more, rejoicing more and singing of His generous treatment.

Hmmn… “God, restore brightness to my eyes.”

In His Glorious Light,     Pastor Tim