The light of the sun which God gives us enables us to see and enjoy the things in creation round about us. But there is also a mental, intellectual, spiritual light that He gives us. When we do not understand a certain matter, someone may offer to help us and say. "Let me give you some light on the subject." And it is in that sense that David in Psalm 43:3 writes, "O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me: Let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles." Or as we sing it in our versification:
Light and truth, my way attending,
Send Thou forth to be my guide,
Till Thy holy mount ascending,
I within Thy house abide.
You see, David's way had become dark. For he had been driven from Jerusalem, had to flee from Absalom, and was eager to get back where God's dwelling place was. He did not see why God separated him from His holy hill. His question in verse 2 was, "Why hast Thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
Plainly he wanted light in that dark hour. And that means that he wanted God's grace to rest upon him, but also that he wanted to be enlightened in his mind as to why God brought him into this situation. He wants light but also truth.
Now truth is what gives us light on our dark pathway. Remember that Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life." And if we see Christ, we have light upon our pathway no matter how dark it is around us. Go to His cross. There God used Satan, Judas, and the wicked Jews as tools to bring us the victory which a few days later we saw in His resurrection from the dead as our Head. We were not defeated there at His cross but victorious over sin, the curse, death, and the grave!
So it is today. All the wicked in all their evils are tools in God's hand whereby He is preparing the way for Christ to return and bring us to His holy hill in heaven where He dwells. And all our sicknesses and pains are also His means to bring us home to a life without sin and completely free from the curse.
Read: Psalm 3
Psalter versification: #120:3
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #76
Why not sing along??
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
1 Chronicles 22 ; 1 Chronicles 23:1-32
Romans 3:9-31
Psalm 12:1-8
Proverbs 19:13-14
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Quote for Reflection:
It will be your duty to insist, by all means, if you can obtain an audience, which I am persuaded you may, that the ceremonies which savor in the least of superstition should be abolished from the public service. – J.Calvin to M. Bucer
Additional Info
- Date: 16-July
