Psalm 3 and John 1:4-5

Psalm 3 was written by David while he was fleeing from his enemy, who was his son! I have been studying the Old Testament recently, and so it is a little more interesting to understand the details leading up to the situation. What strikes me today about this Psalm is the very first sentence:

Psalm 3:1 LORD, how numerous are my enemies! Many attack me.

Though we follow the Lord, in fact, because we follow the Lord, we will have enemies. Many think just the opposite will occur, but that is not the case. And yet, David says:

Psalm 3:5 I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me.

I see he did not say he rested and slept, because of anything he did. It was because of his faith in the Lord that he was able to sleep. I need to take this lesson to heart!

John 1:4-5 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.

These verses in John when read alone create quite a stir of anticipation in my heart. In Him was life. It appears to me that the Him of “in him was life” is the Word, so in the Word was life, and the Word was fully God, so in God is life!

So what is life, besides not being dead? Verse 4 says the life was the light of mankind. What does this mean? Is this light one that gives direction to me? Does it keep me from kicking my toe in the night? Does it mean He will guide me in my spiritual walk that seems very dark at times? That is what creates my anticipation; there must be greater explanation later in this book or somewhere else in the Bible!

And the light shines on in the darkness! What is this darkness? Is it my heart or the way of the world? It was only five and a half years ago, that I was afraid of the dark, but the Word has taken that fear from me. What is this darkness written of here?

But the darkness has not fully mastered it. Is there a battle between light and darkness? I am striving to only read 1 or 2 verses a day, a paragraph at most, in John, but I am struck by the intensity of desire I have in my heart to find out more about the light, which would require reading further along, but I am not going to! It allows me to chomp and chew, to think and pray on this throughout my day!

Lord, thank you for the stirring in my heart to know more about You and your Word. Help me see the light and understand what your intention is by using these words in the Bible that are so powerful to men and women: life, light, and darkness. Thank you for showing me that when my faith is fully placed in You, I will have rest in the midst of my enemies. Lord I need You in my life in order to have this kind of faith in You!

In Anticipation of Your Word,

Larry