JULY 6, 2015
Darkness and
Light
Read:
Psalm
91:1-8
You
shall not be afraid of the terror by night, . . . nor of the pestilence that
walks in darkness.— Psalm 91:5-6
When
I was a boy, I delivered newspapers to about 140 homes on two streets that were
connected by a cemetery. Since I delivered a morning newspaper, I had to be out
at 3:00 a.m. walking through that cemetery in the darkness. Sometimes I would
be so frightened that I would actually run! I was afraid until I was standing
safely under a streetlight on the other side. The scary darkness was dispelled
by the light.
The psalmist understood the connection between fear and
darkness, but he also knew that God is greater than those fears. He wrote, “You
shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,
nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness” (Ps. 91:5-6). Neither terrors of
night nor evil in the darkness need to drive us to fear. We have a God who sent
His Son, the Light of the World (John 8:12).
In the light of God’s love and grace and truth, we can find
courage, help, and strength to live for Him.
Lord, I come to You, the Light of
the World. I want You to bring Your light into the darkness of my fears.
You need not fear the darkness if
you are walking with the Light of the World.
INSIGHT:
Psalm 91 celebrates the safety and security
of those who trust in God. The psalmist warns of danger from insidious schemes
of men, uninvited troubles, physical attacks, sickness, and disasters. But the
Lord protects those who trust in Him. This psalm does not promise immunity from danger, but security in the midst of it. Various metaphors are used to
describe the safety of the Lord including “the secret place of the Most High,”
“the shadow of the Almighty,” a “refuge,” and a “fortress” (vv. 1-2). He will
“cover [us] with His feathers,” “under His wings” we take refuge (v. 4), and
“His faithful promises are [our] armor and protection” (v. 4 nlt).
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015