Jun 01

Do you want to be close to God? There is no higher goal in life. God made us for this very purpose, to have a deep, personal relationship with him, and when we seek him out, we pursue the purpose for which we were made.

But if you would be close to God then you must be prepared to encounter darkness, for Scripture declares that God dwells in darkness.

"Clouds and thick darkness surround him" (Psalm 97:2).

But wait, how can this be? Does not Scripture also say that God lives in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16)? It does. So which is it? Does God dwell in darkness or in light? Definitely light. Scripture so declares in many places, even saying that God is light (1 Jn. 1:5) and that in him there is no darkness at all.

So what about all those other passages that describe God as being surrounded by darkness? All of those passages are in a context of something outside of God: the cosmos and its dark reaches of space, or else those passages have something to do with the inhabitants of those dark spaces, particularly we who live on this particular planet, earth, and our interaction with the God who is light.

All the other references to God and darkness have to do with comparisons between man in darkness and God who is light. The distinction is from man's viewpoint, not God's. For to God, all is light. Nothing is hidden from him. There is no darkness for God.

"Darkness is as light to you" (Psalm 139:12).

Scripture for today: Psalm 139:11, 12
Thought for today: There is no darkness in God.
Prayer for today: Thank you, Lord, for light.

JUN 01