July 17, 2020 Our Daily Bread Devotional :- Light in the Dark
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Bible in a Year:
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Today’s Scripture : Psalm 18:28–36,46–49(NIV)
Insight
Psalm 18 seems to be a song of retrospective understanding. In many of David’s psalms we find him being pursued and hunted, first by Saul and later by Absalom. During those times of flight and danger, David sometimes questioned God’s faithfulness, love, and care—wondering why God didn’t intervene on his behalf. In Psalm 18, however, we see a more reflective David. He looked back on his journey and saw continuous evidence of the presence and protection of God along the way (vv. 1–3, 16–19, 25–29, 35–36, 47–50)—even in the seasons of life where that evidence seemed scarce. Now, looking back, David affirmed what he’d questioned—the faithfulness of God.
Message : A severe thunderstorm passed through our new town, leaving high humidity and dark skies in its wake. I took our dog, Callie, for an evening stroll. The mounting challenges of my family’s cross-country move grew heavier on my mind. Frustrated by the countless ways things had strayed so far from our high hopes and expectations, I slowed to let Callie sniff the grass. I listened to the creek that runs beside our house. Tiny lights flashed on and off while hovering over the patches of wildflowers climbing up the creek’s bank. Fireflies.
The Lord wrapped me in peace as I watched the blinking lights cutting through the darkness. I thought of the psalmist David singing, “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning” (Psalm 18:28). Proclaiming that God turns his darkness into light, David demonstrated confident faith in the Lord’s provision and protection (vv. 29–30). With God’s strength, he could handle anything that came his way (vv. 32–35). Trusting the living Lord to be with him through all circumstances, David promised to praise Him among the nations and sing the praises of His name (vv. 36–49).
Whether we’re enduring the unpredictable storms in life or enjoying the stillness after the rains have passed, the peace of God’s constant presence lights our way through the darkness. Our living God will always be our strength, our refuge, our sustainer, and our deliverer.
Reflect & Pray
What verses help you trust God’s constant presence? How can relying on God’s sovereign goodness help you walk through storms with confident faith?
Father, please help me trust Your goodness and love even when I sometimes can’t see You in the dark circumstances in life.