Scripture for the day: Psalm 67:1
God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us
Study the word ” shine ” and it’s etymology.
Merriam Webster defines shine as :
(Verb) – to emit rays of light
(Noun)- brightness caused by the emission of light
For something or someone to shine, there must be ” light “.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve read such a verse.
Infact one of the first priestly blessings, that the Lord spoke to Moses (and which had to be recited over the Israelites by Aaron and his sons) went like this:
“The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25)
And we read it again in Isaiah 60:1:
Arise and shine for your light has come.
What Is the Light of God?
It’s the same Light that existed at the beginning of creation. (Genesis 1:3)
It’s the same Light which comes from the life of Yeshua.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
Jesus is the light of God which ” shines ” on our veiled minds and reveals to us His true nature and our identity in Him.
Paul writes to the Ephesians,” the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17)
If anyone seeks to know the Father, they must come through Jesus. For he alone is the way, the truth and the light. (John 4:16)
After-effects of Walking in the Light of God
Here’s what happens when we walk in Yeshua, the Light of God and men: (Psalms 67:2-6)
We witness the glory of God.
Our faces become radiant with joy (Psalms 34:5) as we behold His goodness in the land of the living. (Psalms 27:13)
We praise HIM with gladness and joy.
For He turns our mourning into joyful dancing; putting off our sackcloth and clothing us with gladness! (Psalms 30:11)
We dwell in His righteous reign.
No evil befalls us, no plague comes near our homes as we dwell under the protection of His wings (Psalms 91:1)
We are blessed with abundance.
His goodness and mercy chase us down and we get to live in His presence forever! (Psalms 23:6)
Caveat: The Promise Stands for Those in the Light!
Note how these promises stand only for those who have known His salvation (Yeshua) and walk in His light.
There is still a part of the world that’s lost and in darkness, a darkness that doesn’t comprehend His light. (John 1:5)
But sure enough, the day is near when all will be plain, and nothing will be hidden (Luke 8:17).
So, what should we do till the day of His return?
- Let’s put the Light of His Word in action (Luke 8:16)- obeying Him even when it’s inconvenient.
- Stay sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8), against all the wicked schemes of the enemy, walking in discernment.
- Work hard to show the results of our salvation with deep reverence and fear (Philippians 2:12, NLT).
May we live a life, walking in the light of God, glorifying our Father, now and forevermore!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!
