My son, Jake, and I can have some interesting conversations. Recently, we’ve debated a couple of Biblical stories. He’s mentioned on more than one occasion that he does not like the New International Version of the Bible. He prefers the good ole King James Version.
The other night I was on Pinterest, pinning pins to my Christian Inspiration board. One caught my eye. “You lord are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” (2 Samuel 22:29 NIV) So, thinking of Jake, I flipped to the KJV to see what the verse “really” said. It was a bit different, and it captured my thoughts even more. “For thou art my lamp, oh Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.”
Lighten my darkness.
Have you ever been in darkness? I’m not talking about personal, emotional, or spiritual darkness. Have you ever been in black dark? Lost your electricity? Camped in the middle of nowhere? Went caving and turned off your headlamp?
When I was a girl, we’d light the old kerosene lamp when we lost power. It was sort of sketchy. And it stunk! Once, we had a car that ended up with mechanical problem after problem. We called it a lemon. One night while driving home from basketball we lost our lights on the back country road. Daddy told us to get the flashlight out of the glove box and shine it out the window ahead of us. Talk about sketchy!
Candles, lamps, and flashlights. We use them to lighten the darkness.
Have you ever been in darkness? The personal kind? Hard times. Sad days. Financial concerns. Spiritual blackness.
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; We are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Sounds like Paul knew that we all will have our share of inescapable darkness on this side of heaven. But Jesus promises to lighten our darkness. He’ll never leave us. He won’t forget us. He will make a way of escape. He’ll be our lamp. He will lighten the darkness. What a great promise!
But the NIV has its own great promise! “The Lord turns my darkness into light.” That day is coming soon! The day God wipes away our tears and forever takes away our pain.
“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:5
Jesus promises to lighten my darkness in this life and turn my darkness into light in the next.
I am so thankful!