Psalm 112:1-9
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.”
Light Dawns in the Darkness
Darkness is unsettling. When we were little, we were afraid of the dark. As we get older, darkness in the bedroom isn’t so scary anymore, but we still fear the dark.
There is a good chance you’re experiencing the darkness of this world in one way or another. At home, at school, with friends, online, your private life… Darkness has a way of showing up everywhere we look. If you’re honest, you’d probably admit that you’re still afraid of the darkness. Darkness has simply found other ways to show up.
In the middle of our fear of darkness, Psalm 112 says the one who fears the Lord will be blessed. For that person, “Light dawns in the darkness…” There is no bad news, no adversary, and no darkness that can shake those who fear the Lord and on whom His light has shined.
This is good news! Still, you may be wondering, “What if I don’t fear the Lord? What if I’m not ‘upright’? Am I lost in the darkness?” And the truth is, that’s a real problem for all of us. We will fail to fear the Lord more than we fear the darkness.
That’s why in this season of Epiphany, we remember that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Jesus, the Light of the world, came to your world and has made you righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). The darkness cannot overcome the Light. Because of Jesus, the promise of light in the darkness from Psalm 112 is yours (2 Corinthians 1:20).
That is even better news! Jesus didn’t leave you in the darkness. The Light has overcome. Now, even in the darkness you experience, the words of the Psalm are true of you: Light dawns in the darkness, you will never be moved, you don’t have to be afraid of bad news, your heart will be firm and steady.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
John 8:12
Dear God, thank You for not leaving me in the darkness. Help me to walk in a way that is pleasing to You. Shine your light on me, so I can see more of Your goodness. Amen.
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