“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:3-4)

Weary Christian ~ The Darkness Cannot Overcome You

Before time began, God spoke light into existence. He ordered light and dark ~ day and night, and He continues to do so. Darkness may not go where God says it may not, and even the tiniest pinprick of light can penetrate and push back the darkness, in nations, in families and in the battle-weary soul. Do you feel battle weary today? Do not forget who, and Who’s you are! You belong to the Light of the world, and as His, you are the light of the world. (See Matthew 5:14-16)

Reading through Isaiah, I came this morning to chapter 8, where I find a people who felt overwhelmed, blinded by the fog of darkness that had surrounded them for so long. They were hungry ~ physically and spiritually, distressed, and angry at the invasion. The thing is, they had looked everywhere for help, except to the only One who could help. As a result they found nothing, but more thick darkness. And Isaiah brings them this exhortation from the Lord:

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.”
‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭8:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Reading on down, we come to the closing verses of chapter 8, Isaiah entreats:

“Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.” (Isaiah‬ ‭8:20-22‬ ‭NLT)‬‬

How many believers in Jesus are in exactly that place today? The dark fog of fear, conspiracy theories, media reports and opinions have filtered into ears and taken hold of hearts. Many ask, “where is God in all of this?” “Has He abandoned me?”

Jesus Triumphed Over Darkness! Jesus faced and overcame the darkness, once and for all! 

“At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew‬ ‭27:45-46‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Jesus, the light of the world, the One who had always and forever been Light, walked right into the darkness, for the joy set before him; to make you His own! 

“Why have you abandoned me?” ~ Jesus momentarily lost sight of His Father, so that you could have a Father; so that you would never have to cry out, “why have you abandoned me?” (He never will abandon you!)

Jesus knew the ancient boundaries, set in place, long before time began: He knew that it was God who separated the day from the night. Jesus, Light of the world knew this: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

And, Jesus knew this: the dark gloom and fog of the people in Isaiah chapter 8, ended as they rounded the corner into opening promise of chapter 9, the staggering, beautiful, glorious brightness in the promise of the Messiah, our Hope ~ the triumph of Light over darkness. 

We know that the promised Messiah is Jesus. He is the fulfilment of the glorious prophesy of Isaiah 9 ~ “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (See Isaiah‬ ‭9:2-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

He lives in you, if you are His. His light shines in and through you. The lines, set in place before time are still in place ~ night will always give way to the light of day. Darkness is always pushed back by light, no matter how small or flickering. Always. 

Jill 💜