Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
17 Feb 2002
God has treasures hidden in the darkness that others cannot see :
A treasure to be found by those whose pathway is dark, who can say with
David in Psalm 18
It is worth observing that – in the natural and the scientific world it is true
that there are some treasures that are only revealed in darkness:
When I was a child I spent ages trying to create luminous paint. The idea of
being able to glow in the dark fascinated me.
For every marvel revealed by the bright light of day there are a multitude
more that can only be seen in darkness.
But our hearts recoil from going into the dark. It is a place of fears and
doubts and shadows, a place for knowing the guidance of His “kindly
light”.
9
However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”a—
10
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2 v 9
In considering this beautiful promise I would like to set out four ways in
which the Word of God demonstrates this truth:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now
the earth wasa formless and empty, darkness was over the surface
of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
I believe that – in the dark moments of our life God chooses often to
• do something NEW
• to brood over us by His Spirit
• to say “Let there be light!”
Psalm 18 again:
a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in
your hearts.
2 Peter 1 v 19
2 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the gravea I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3
You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
towards your holy temple.’
5
The engulfing waters threatened me,a
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in for ever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.
7
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8
“Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
9
But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
It was like the Prodigal a pig sty in which to come to one’s self.
But still a place where – in the darkness God’s light was seen.
Waterloo Hall Page 6
17 Feb 2002
It is Jesus, the Light of the world who transforms the deepest darkness –
whether it be the darkness of sorrow
Or pain
Or distress
Paul has spoken earlier in this letter of the revelation to Moses, and here
especially he refers to that of creation
And in the darkness of His age He says “I am the light of the world”
Waterloo Hall Page 7
17 Feb 2002
And in the darkness that shrouded His cross He finished His great work
• Releasing Peter from Prison and enabling Paul and Silas to sing.
The New Testament statement of the promise to Cyrus here in 2 Cor has
two points of focus:
• In jars of clay - ie in US
© DAVID A. GREEN
www.ffrog.co.uk
1
It is morning, it is morning in my heart!
Jesus made the gloomy shadows all depart.
Songs of gladness now I sing,
For since Jesus is my King,
It is morning, it is morning in my heart!