Perfection: A Paragon, A Paradigm, A Paradox

Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.  --Matthew 5:48

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise--why destroy yourself? --Ecclesiastes 7:16

 If you read my previous four or five entries, you will have noticed a theme.  Psalm 139 is so rich, so deep; and it speaks to so many of our insecurities.  The last verses sum up how we feel once we know that God searches us and knows us, has known us from the beginning, and thinks about us in the here and now: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24).  We are called to humility, to setting our goals and desires aside, and submitting to his perfect will.

Many of us, in our human mind-set, substitute a pursuit of perfection for following Jesus in faith.  We become Pharisaical, fanatics in following the letter of the Law.  We all know people like this--Holier Than Thou folks who can't see the log in their own eye, but have no qualms about pointing out the speck in yours.  These are the people Jesus was speaking to in Matthew 5 when he made the statement quoted above, "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."  But do you see the word I just left out? Jesus used the word "therefore." As a preacher-friend of mine always says, whenever you see the word "therefore" in Scripture, you need to find out what it is there for.

In Matthew 5:43-47, Jesus started talking about love.  And he ends with verse 48 about perfection.

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy."  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 God's love is so vast that it encompasses those who hate him.  The blessings of sunshine are there for all to share.  The challenges of the rainy season are there for all to bear.  The way that we--who recognize we are made in His image, and who bear the Name of His Son--the way that we treat nonbelievers during the boom times, and the way that we act toward one another in the bust times can reveal the love of the Father to nonbelievers.  We all pray for our friends and family members, right? But how fervently do we pray for those who despise us, who ridicule us for our faith? And not just prayer for their salvation, but also prayer for their success and well-being?  I think if we had more of that mind-set, nonbelievers would be more open to our message.

One of the hot topics of today is gay marriage.  More and more states are recognizing same-sex marriage, and the federal government has taken it up as a Civil Right.  Many Christians are dead-set against the glorification of what the Bible calls a sinful act.  Many of us have drawn a line in the sand, and have taken on a "them versus us" mentality.  In short, we have identified them as our enemy.  Last week the Court in New Mexico told a Christian photographer that he could not refuse his services to a homosexual couple celebrating a "commitment ceremony".  I guess that means that New Mexico has not legally accepted gay marriage in their state.  So many might stand with the photographer.  If I had been in that situation, I might have told the gay couple that I was booked that week.  But here is the situation in a different light: let's assume that the Christian photographer was not targeted specifically for the purpose of creating a "test case" in civil court. Let's assume that these customers saw the photographer's work, and were impressed with it.  If these "sinners" saw something about the Christian's talents, or work ethic, or artistic ability, then perhaps the Christian could have glorified God in doing the best job he could for them, and giving them a good impression of Christians in general. "In all that you do, do all for the glory of God."

There will come a time when Christians are discriminated against, when it will be uncool, unwise, or even unlawful to do business with us.  Only those with the "Mark of the Beast" will be able to buy and sell in the marketplace.  At that time we will pray for the hastening of Christ's return even more fervently than we do now.  At that time, it will not be the ones who followed the letter of the law who will survive, but those who are made perfect in Christ Jesus.  Paul said in Galatians 2:6, "We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."  It is faith, not works, that justifies us before God.  And what tests our faith more than persecution?

This, then, is a paradox:  we are made perfect, not by doing everything perfectly, but by placing our faith in the grace of God, who is our perfection.  People may point out our shortcomings, our failures, even our sins. They may think we have not been made perfect in Christ, therefore we are not saved.  To this, Paul said in Galatians 2:21, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"  It is only by identifying with Christ, and recognizing his sacrificial death for me that I realize the grace of God and internalize his forgiveness of my sin.  For it is sin that separates us from a holy God, and "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22).

Once I have identified myself with Christ, the paragon of sinless perfection, I want to be more like him.  I want to be his disciple, to bask in his presence, to learn from him and apply his word to my life.  In my daily walk with him, I am going to stub my toe, or skin my knee.  I will fall short.  "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." But in my pursuit of God's glory (not my own, for then I would be insufferable, as the quote from Solomon about being "overrighteous" or righteous in my own eyes), I aim for sinless perfection.  John said, "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ the righteous one." (1 John 2:1)

Here is an example from the life of Peter, the Apostle of Christ and leader in the Church.  Psalm 1:1 says, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers."  Peter was no doubt well-versed in the Law, and he knew this passage well.  Peter was an ardent follower of Jesus.  Yet Jesus, who knew his heart, predicted that Peter would deny him. Later, when Jesus was being led away to be crucified, Peter followed, walking at a distance (Luke 22:54). Perhaps he heard many voices disparaging Jesus and encouraging His death.  When they reached the courtyard of the High Priest, someone built a fire, and Peter stood by, warming himself. One of the servant girls of the High Priest came by, "and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. 'You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,' she said.  But he denied it." (Mark 14:67-68).  He was standing among nonbelievers, and did not have the courage to identify himself with Christ.  But still he wanted to be there, so he sat down next to the fire (Luke 22:55), where the scoffers sat.  Twice more he denied knowing Jesus. "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly." (Luke 22: 61-62).

This was clearly sin in Peter's life, and he felt remorse for it.  Perhaps this is why, after the Resurrection, Jesus found Peter alone near the Sea of Galilee.  The two men had that famous conversation.  Three times Jesus asked, "Peter do you love me more than these," (the word Jesus used for love meant self-sacrificing love, love above all others).  Three times Peter, chagrined, replied, "Lord, you know that I love you," using a word for love meaning more of a friendship or brotherly love. Perhaps Peter could not accept the love that Jesus was offering him.  But three times, Jesus told Peter, "Feed my sheep."  This was the commission that Jesus gave to Peter: you don't have to be perfect, for I am perfect; I only want you to tend to my flock, to minister to those who believe in Me.  In this way, there was Restoration in Peter's life and ministry.

Contrast that with Paul's dealing with Peter in Galatians 2.  Both Peter and Paul were preaching the Gospel, and had opened up their ministry to Gentiles as well as Jews.  Some of the Jews were murmuring, saying that the Gentiles had to be circumcised (thus fulfilling the Law) before they could come to Jesus.  Acts 11:2 says, "So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, 'You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them'." Peter then explained how God had sent him a vision, and that the gospel was open to all, Jews and Gentiles alike.  "When they had heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, 'So, then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life'." (Acts 11:18).  But apparently, Peter was sensitive to the concerns of the Judaizers (those who believed that you had to become a Jew before you could become a Christian), because Paul called him out:

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.  Before certain men came from James, he (Peter) used to eat with the Gentiles.  But when they (the Jews) arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.  The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.  When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile (i.e., you do not observe Jewish customs, especially the dietary restrictions.)  How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"

Now, I don't know if Paul later followed up with Peter to restore him in grace, like Jesus did.  But I can see the same pattern Peter followed: he walked among the Judaizers, he stood with them, and sat with them at their table, following the exact pattern that was outlined in Psalm 1:1.  From this passage I can also see that Paul publicly pointed out Peter's shortcomings.  Again, whether Peter repented or whether Paul forgave, I do not know.  But when we look to people, even people in high positions in the church, we do not always get grace.  We get our sins exposed, to show our imperfections.  But when we go to Jesus, and confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  We then become perfection in him, because he alone is perfect.

For 13 years I worked for a company whose motto was, "We expect perfection, but we will tolerate excellence."  Needless to say, I no longer work there, as I could not live up to their expectations, and they were intolerant of my mistakes.  But the truism still exists: if I aim for perfection and miss, I will do better than if I only aim for mediocre. In the same way, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3).

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea. (Heb 4:15-16)
A great High Priest whose Name is Love (Heb 4:14)
Who ever lives and pleads for me. (Heb 7:25)
My name is graven on His hands, (Isa 49:16)
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart. (Rom 8:34) 

When Satan tempts me to despair (Luke 22:31-32)
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there (Acts 7:55-56)
Who made an end of all my sin. (Col 2:13-14)
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me. (Rom 3:24-26) 

Behold Him there the risen Lamb, (Rev 5:6)
My perfect spotless righteousness, (1 Cor 1:30; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
The great unchangeable I AM, (Heb 13:8; John 8:58)
The King of glory and of grace,
One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood, (Acts 20:28)
My life is hid with Christ on high, (Col 3:3)
With Christ my Savior and my God! (Tit 2:13)

Onward, Christian Soldiers

If only you would slay the wicked, O God!  Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!  They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your Name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you?  I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. --Psalm 139:16-24

I love my wife and kids.  I would stand up and denounce anyone who spoke evil of them.  Most people would.  I love my extended family, my "clan".  Aside from a few "black sheep" in my family, I would quickly come to their aid if they had a need.  By and large, I'll bet you would, too.  On a larger scale, I love my country.  I hate to hear anyone disparage America, the greatest land on Earth.  Wherever you live, I'll bet you know someone who has joined the military, whose job it is to defend your country to the death.

Why, then, are we so timid about defending our faith?  The Christian world stands against those who would wipe us out, either politically (see Secular Humanism) to make us irrelevant, or physically (see Islamic Jihad). Is it because of some polite convention, as in "it is not proper to discuss politics or religion"?  Is it some misguided idea that since God is Love, we should not ever show anger or hatred?  Listen, Beloved, the opposite of Love is not Hate--the opposite of Love is Indifference.  There are people in the Middle East who would love to wipe you out because of your Christian beliefs.

Am I, then, advocating that Christians take up arms and start shooting Muslims? By no means!  That is not what the Scripture says at all.  Look at verse 16 again: "If only YOU would slay the wicked, O God."  The psalmist knew that those who have been wronged are not to avenge that wrong by their own hand, but to leave it to the Lord, who says "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." (Deuteronomy 32:35).  Proverbs 20:22 says, "Do not say, I'll pay you back for this wrong!  Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.  Paul said in Romans 12:19, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge: I will repay."

What I am saying is that we should be more passionate and less passive.  When the culture casts aspersions at Christians, we should stand up and be counted.  Paul said to his protege (some youngsters say mentee, as in Paul was the Mentor, and Timothy the Mentee, but that construct sets my teeth on edge) in 2 Timothy 2: 15, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  We should not argue for the sake of argument, but rather pick our battles.  Perhaps that is why God has allowed the militant Muslim to live--so that he may have an opportunity to be won over by your good words.  But that presupposes that we would take the argument to them, and not shrink back in shame.

Do you think Jesus had no enemies?  There were always people during his lifetime that wanted to kill him.  It was out of grace that he didn't take up arms against them.  We all like to quote Matthew 5:44, "But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  But we shouldn't stop there; Jesus goes on to explain why we should pray for them in verses 45 trough 48:

So that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans to that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It's a cop-out, then, so hide behind the line, "I'm not perfect; I'm only human."  Jesus told us to be perfect just like God.  That's why the passage ends with, "Search me, and know my heart; see if there is any offensive way in me."  Jesus said it another way: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)  If we are truly seeking His kingdom, then we may find opportunities to stand against His enemies.  We should do so with wisdom and preparation, having put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).  Why would the Bible tell us to put on armor, and to take up offensive weapons (the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God) if God expected us to shy away from confrontation?

It takes wisdom to avoid being obnoxious about the gospel, thus turning people off to God's message.  It takes discipline and training, much like our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.  A Marine is taught to be a killing machine, yet the Rules of Engagement may specify what to do in certain situations.  A Soldier who killed everyone in sight would not be hailed as a hero, but rather arrested as a war criminal.  Maybe that is why the psalmist expressed fear and trepidation when he said, "know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me..."  We are called to be a sweet aroma of salvation, not a stinking pile of garbage.

What did Jesus say to Simon Peter? "You are a rock (petros), and upon that Rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."  Be bold.  Be strong.  Be wise, and prudent in your use of Scripture.  But use it to your advantage, so that all men may know, for "It is not God's will that any should perish."

1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, 
 with the cross of Jesus going on before. 
 Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; 
 forward into battle see his banners go! 
Refrain: 
 Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, 
 with the cross of Jesus going on before. 

2. At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee; 
 on then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! 
 Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise; 
 brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise. 
 (Refrain) 

3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God; 
 brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod. 
 We are not divided, all one body we, 
 one in hope and doctrine, one in charity. 
 (Refrain) 

4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane, 
 but the church of Jesus constant will remain.
 Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail; 
 we have Christ's own promise, and that cannot fail. 
 (Refrain) 

5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng, 
 blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. 
 Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King, 
 this through countless ages men and angels sing. 

 (Refrain)  

God knew me, grew me, can see right through me

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast are the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you.  --Psalm 139:13-18

This is the first Universal, Immutable Truth: that God created us.  Without this principle as a foundation, then at best, God is a johnny-come-lately, like a carpet-bagger or a used car salesman.  Jesus did not say, "Now that you have life, I can show you how to live it abundantly." That is a cheap gospel.  What He said in John 10:10 was, "I have come that you might have life, AND that you might have it abundantly."  At worst, without the principle of a Creator God, the atheists are right, and there is no God.

God has always been interested in our individual lives.  He knew us before we were even born.  Before Dr. John Wild pioneered the use of medical sonogram in 1949, God could see us in utero.  All of the intricate, delicate chemical reactions taking place during the nine months of gestation were not only known by God, but orchestrated by him.  He knew us the very moment we were conceived:  how tall we would be, how athletic, what color our hair and eyes would be, whether we would lose our hair or wear glasses--all of it. Not only did he see us and make us in our mother's womb, not only did he know us at the moment of our conception--He knew us before the earth was formed.  What an awesome God we serve!

I have been reading The Language of God by Dr.  Francis S. Collins.  He was one of the lead scientists in the human genome project, where they succeeded in mapping human DNA.  Dr. Collins is a devout Christian, and he describes in his book how awe-inspiring the work of God in creation is.  As a scientist (he got a PhD in chemistry and physics, then went to medical school and got an MD), he has a unique perspective on the minute details of God's handiwork:

"My first published paper on human genetics was based on DNA sequencing.  I was studying the production of just one protein, found in the red blood cells of the human fetus in utero, that is supposed to gradually disappear after birth, when babies begin to breathe with their own lungs.  The protein is called fetal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein that allows red blood cells to deliver oxygen from our lungs to all the rest of the body.  Humans and some apes use a special version of hemoglobin before birth that helps extract oxygen from the mother's blood to nourish the growing fetus.  During the first year of life, this fetal hemoglobin gradually turns off, and the adult form is produced instead.  However, in a Jamaican family I was studying, substantial quantities of fetal hemoglobin continued to appear in adulthood.  The cause of this "hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin" was of intense interest, because if we could learn how to trigger it on purpose in anyone, it would greatly reduce the ravages of sickle-cell anemia."

When I read that, I could not help but think of Psalm 139: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  The fetus has fully functioning, mature lungs at 32 weeks, eight full weeks before full gestation.  This means that for two months prior to your birth, you were able to breathe air outside the womb.  Yet God was not finished making you yet, if you were carried to term.  Of the millions of processes taking place while you were being formed, this one protein called fetal hemoglobin allowed you to process the oxygen your mother was breathing.  And now, within the last ten years, scientists have found other uses for that protein, to help and perhaps heal hundreds of thousands of patients with a debilitating disease.

When I use the phrase, "God knows how many people this may help in the future," I am not expressing the futility of human limitations.  People have been using the phrase, "God only knows" for centuries to mean that this calculation or that idea is beyond human ability to comprehend.  But think about it.  God does know, and he cares.  He is able to think about all of the millions of changes that occur during pregnancy, the billions of changes that occur during our lifetime, the zillions of changes that have occurred throughout history--and yet he cares for us individually.  Not only does he care about us, he loves us.

My father was a Baptist preacher, and a Young Earth Creationist.  His view was that God made the world in six days, and within that one short week he set into motion all of the natural processes necessary to sustain human life.  You and I are the product of some 6000 to 10,000 years of human existence, and because the Earth was created fully grown (and thus had no need to evolve), the oldest creatures on earth only pre-dated Man by 2-3 calendar days.  Dr. Collins, whose book I quoted above, is a believer in Theistic Evolution.  His view, after careful study, is that God caused the Big Bang to occur about 14 million years ago.  When God said, "Let there be light," the light that came about was due to this massive stellar explosion.  Mathematically, this explosion that was the beginning of the Universe had to be so precise that it almost screams out in favor of intelligent design.  Famed physicist Stephen Hawking has written:

"Why did the universe start out with so nearly the critical rate of expansion that separates models that recollapse from those that go on expanding forever, that even now, 10 million years later, it is still expanding at nearly the critical rate?  If the rate of expansion one second after the Big Bang had been smaller by even one part in 100 thousand million million, the universe would have recollapsed before it ever reached its present size."

Again, this is only one of the billions of changes that evolutionists have said must take place for life to emerge on one planet in one solar system in one galaxy in a vastly expanding universe.  Viewing this information from a Christian worldview, as Collins does, presupposes that God has been thinking about you and me for over 14 million years.  He had our physical, emotional, psychological, and yes, spiritual well-being in mind from before the cosmic event called the Big Bang. That's why he made you with a conscience, a desire to adhere to what C.S. Lewis called the Moral Law.

St. Augustine of Hippo said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you."  God thinks about you all the time, and has thought about you from before the foundation of creation.  He wants you to think of him, too.  He wants you to know him intimately, as an adopted Father; that is why he sent his only Son to die a sacrificial death for you.  Believe in Him, and live the abundant life he has for you.

Hope in the night

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for the darkness is as light to you. --Psalm 139:7-12

Charlotte Bronte said, "The trouble is not that I am single and likely to stay single, but that I am lonely and likely to stay lonely."  Mother Theresa said, "The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved."  Hank Williams, Sr. sang, "I'm so lonesome I could die."

We've all been there.  We've all been isolated, either physically, or perhaps psychologically.  We've all been so far out of touch that we think even God has left us.  But our Scripture today reminds us that wherever we are, God has been there all the time.  The psalm writer tries to think of the highest highs and the lowest lows. What can be higher than heaven?  We know that God is there.  If we try to imagine the lowest place possible--Death Valley; death and the grave; going through hell itself--even there you cannot go where God is not.

What if we find ourselves in a place where nobody knows us?  Say you have been transferred to another city, or maybe another country, and you feel like nobody there cares whether you live or die.  Maybe you feel imprisoned, either literally or figuratively.  Many times in the Old Testament the Children of Promise were taken into exile into foreign lands.  Can you imagine being sold into slavery, and ending up on another continent?  Maybe you can.  But the psalmist's words of hope ring true: if I go as far to the East as the sunrise, or as far to the West as the Pacific Ocean, God is already there.  He's like a Dad, always there to hold our hand when we need comfort or guidance.

I have two children, a boy and a girl.  My son has always been fearless.  There were times when I wished he was holding my hand, so he could stay out of harm's way.  My daughter, however, has always been afraid. She was afraid of the dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Science and History.  She was deathly afraid of Chuck E. Cheese, the mouse mascot at the pizza chain.  And if we had taken her into a cavern and the guide had shut off the lights for a moment, not only would she have grabbed my hand and held it for dear life, she would have crawled up my leg!  God wants us to reach out to him, to know he is there for us, just like we are there for our children.

So many times we find ourselves in the pit of despair.  In our depression we see no light at all, only impending gloom.  It is then that we need Jesus the most.  And he is there, even if you do not see him.  1 John 1:5 says, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."  We all have heard that God is Light.  But in Genesis 1 we see that the first thing God created was light.  In the eternity that was before creation, was there no light?  Perhaps not as we perceive it. Scientists have shown that humans can perceive less than 1.5% of the total light spectrum.  When we get to heaven, we will be able to see things we have never seen.  We will be able to see God as we have never seen him before.  This is what the psalmist may have meant when he said, "even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for the darkness is as light to you."  God does not know darkness, because his very nature is light.

Think about that during your darkest hours.  My son spent last winter in Alaska.  Depending on how far north you go, the night can last 20 hours or more.  When clouds obscure the moon and stars, it gets pretty lonely.  You can lose hope very quickly.  Nearly every drugstore in Alaska stocks sun lamps, so that people can experience not just artificial light but full spectrum light in the dead of winter.

Maybe the darkness you see is storm clouds on the horizon.  Perhaps you are in the middle of one of life's darkest storms.  This morning God brought a hymn to my mind.  I haven't sung it in years--most current worship services stay away from hymns, especially ones first published in 1836.  But the words to "The Solid Rock" were brought to mind this morning.  Not the uplifting chorus, or the cheery first verse.  Rather, the second and third verses, that speak of storms and floods:

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When we know God's presence in those most difficult circumstances, then and only then can we truly know what the hymn writer meant when he said,

 On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; 

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.