My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning. (Psalm 130:6)

With what intense longing morning light is often waited for. By marinas in a shipwrecked vessel; by a benighted traveler in a dangerous country; by an army finding itself surrounded by an enemy. Morning light will show what hope of escape there may be. Morning may bring life and liberty. And so the saints of God in darkness have longed for the light of His countenance.

Dear soul! Learn to wait on the Lord more than watchers for the morning. All within you may be very dark; is that not the very best reason for waiting for the light of God? The first beginnings of light may be just enough to discover the darkness, and painfully humble you on account of sin. Can you not trust the light to expel the darkness?

Bow, even now, in stillness before God, and wait on Him to shine into you.

God is light; the Father, the eternal, inaccessible, and incomprehensible light, the Son, light concentrated, and embodied, and manifested; the Spirit, the light entering and dwelling and shining in our hearts. God is light, and is here shining on my heart.

Say, in humble faith, God is light, infinitely brighter and more beautiful than that of the sun. I have been so occupied with my thoughts and efforts, I have never opened the shutters to let His light in. Unbelief has kept it out. I bow in faith; God, light, is shining in my heart. What would I think of a sun that could not shine? What shall I think of a God that does not shine? No! God shines! God is light! I will rest in the light of God. My eyes are feeble, my windows unclean, but the light will shine in me, and I shall learn to walk all the day in the joy of it.

Andrew Murray

From time beginning, darkness has been feared for in darkness is danger. From ancient man huddled over a fire to dispel darkness to modern men who lights homes and streets, we believe that light brings some measure of safety. When my children were small, they were comforted by the small nightlight in their rooms at night. Somehow that small light calmed their fears and they were able to sleep.

Scripture and experience tell us that evil deeds are committed in the night far more often than in the day. For this reason, the Bible frequently refers to the sin life as darkness and the believers life as light. We know that before the Spirit of God illuminates our souls, we are unaware of our sinfulness and as we continue moving closer to the light of God, more and more of our flaws begin to show.

When I used to hang and finish drywall, I used a light to shine on the seams which exposed any flaws. Most of these flaws were not visible in natural light but that intense light revealed them so they could be fixed. In the same way the light of God shines on us so that we through the Holy Spirit can be changed.

We know that Christ is light. Isaiah prophesied that the coming Savior would bring light to those who sat in great darkness. When Jesus came, He shined into the darkness of hearts bringing hope and redemption. John introduces us to Jesus with these words:

“In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ( Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]. There came a man commissioned and sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him. John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light. There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.”

John 1:1-10

In I John we read that not only is Christ light but we are called to walk in His light.

“This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection]. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].”

1 John 1:5-7

Jesus calls us to not only walk in the light but to shine that light around us. We sing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!”

14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

Finally, the coming of light brings morning and the radiant sun that somehow dispels the shadows of fear and despair and doubt. I’ve seen in others and lived this myself. The longing for morning after a night of struggle, the craving of sun after days of clouds, and the waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel describe in someway our longing for the presence of God who will dispel our fear and give us peace; who will end our doubts and give us faith; who will drown our sorrows with His overwhelming joy, and who will bring light and understanding to all things that are hidden.

“I will extol and praise You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You have healed me. O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, so that I would not go down to the pit (grave). Sing to the Lord, O you His godly ones, And give thanks at the mention of His holy name . For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may endure for a night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:1-5

In these dark days, let us seek the light, long for the morning, remember that darkness does not last forever and a little light has the power to overcome great darkness. There is something more beyond this moment. All these things we are facing will not last forever even though at times it may seem so. God is light and in His presence darkness flees. Lift up your eyes to the Lord, help is on the way!

Dr. John Thompson