Psalm 139:7-12
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings
to the far western horizon,
You'd find me in a minute—
you're already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I'm immersed in the light!"
It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.
This past weekend Jon and I had a rare getaway to Las Vegas. Vegas is by far not our first pick for fun, but Jon had won a few nights there as a sales incentive. We stayed at the new Encore hotel which is huge and flashy. We were shown to our room on the 28th floor and as we stood admiring the view of the end of the Vegas strip I looked directly down and there was a church right below us. I became very intrigued with that church. Here it sat at the end of the Las Vegas Strip in the shadow of a golden and glitzy hotel. When we came in on Friday the parking lot was empty. I wondered if it was a functioning church, or if they had sold out for it's land. Then Saturday there was activity at the church, and I was excited for it. As I admired the view at night there was a contrast between the flashy lights on the strip and the constant glow of the church's cross. On Sunday as we packed up to leave I noticed cars filling in all the parking lot spaces, and I felt joyful that this church was a light in the midst of such greed.
In Psalm 139 the writer says that we can't hide from God. He sees every dark corner of our life and still loves us. I think that when I am walking around Vegas in the daytime that it does not feel as sinful as it does at night. God sees everything clearly. I think that coming back to La Verne I am in a less sinful place. The city of La Verne needs to be cleaned up just like the city of Las Vegas. Sin is sin, and God wants to pursue me and clean out the dark places in my life.
vs. 12 even the darkness is not dark to thee, the night is bright as day; for darkness is a light with thee.
I love that!
Thank you Lord that it does not matter how dark circumstances are in our lives ,it is not too dark for you. You can pierce the dark with your light of forgiveness and hope. I pray that you expose all the dark corners of my life and fill them with your light. I pray for that little church in the shadow of the Encore. Bless that congregation and give them strength to be a light in the darkness. Amen.
Love,
Sandy
