Shining in the Dark

During early morning walks this week I have noticed the moon slowly move day by day in a northeast direction through the sky as a waxing crescent.  Today it peeked out from the clouds like a child playing hide and seek who delights to be found.  In His wisdom God established this nocturnal luminary and reminds me to consider and praise God, the Creator of heaven and earth.  As the celestial bodies move through space with precision according to God's design, so His love and grace continually shine forth to all those whose eyes are opened by faith in Him.  How could we question or stand in judgment of our God who is most awesome?

Revelation 1:7-8 reads, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ⁸ "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  The Bible teaches Jesus will one day return to earth in judgment, and it will be at the right time, with appropriate severity and with precision that exceeds any laser.  Until today I never considered what a disgraceful thing it is to suggest that the judgment of God and ultimate suffering in hell shall be "too good for" someone we believe to be among the worst.  This statement strikes at the sovereignty and ability of God to be a capable Judge of all heaven and earth.  He knows all, and His longsuffering ought not be deemed ignorance or incompetence:  this is man's lot.  On earth the statutes of law are limited by lengths of time and geography, yet God's judgments are absolute, upright and forever according to His infinite power and strength.  The proudest and strongest men and angels are cowardly in His presence.

How much of our wranglings, worries and fears dissolve and flee away when we begin to realise God is exactly who He claims to be:  the eternal, all powerful, all knowing and gracious God who delights to show mercy but will not pardon the guilty.  Jesus said when Israel finds itself in the midst of the great tribulation in Luke 21:25-28:  "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; ²⁶ men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  When things will seem at their worst and all hope is lost, they were to lift their heads to look to the LORD Jesus Christ who would deliver and redeem them.  Who can do this but God?  The hearts of men will fail, but the love of God is without fail.  Those who place their faith in Jesus are positioned to receive and rejoice in God, satisfied in His love and mercy.

After the six seals are opened and all heaven and earth is shaken Revelation 6:15-17 says, "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"  Answer:  none and all.  No one can stand before the wrath of God, for He is greatest and above all.  Yet all those who He makes to stand by faith in Jesus Christ, the Rock of Salvation, the chief Cornerstone, are enabled to stand by His grace.  God answered the prayer of the sons of Korah by Jesus Christ in Psalm 85:2-7:  "You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah ³ You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger. ⁴ Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. ⁵ Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? ⁶ Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? ⁷ Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation."

God has done all this through the Gospel and much more still.  Through Jesus our sins have been forgiven and the righteousness of God imputed to us.  He has taken away His wrath, Jesus having satisfied the justice of the Law for sin.  He has restored us to a privileged place of being one with God in the Body of Christ, and given us the right to be called children of God when we were once foreigners and outsiders.  He revives us body and soul and makes us to rejoice in His salvation.  Having received such abundant life and promises through Jesus, He makes us His divine luminaries to shine day and night with His glory and grace.  2 Corinthians 4:6-7 reads, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."  God said "Let there be light!" and there was light before the sun ever shone in the heavens, and by His grace we will shine for His glory long after the sun and moon flee away and the stars have fallen like figs.  May your glory, LORD Jesus, shine through your servants with rejoicing.