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December 8, 2023
Today we read Ps 139:11-16, in which David reveals some wonderful and amazing truths. As we journey through life, each of our days gradually becomes each of our nights - testifying to God’s establishment of time as one of the measurements of His creation. But in this Psalm, David says that “even the darkness will not be dark to” God. To Him, “the night shines like the day - for darkness is as light to” God (verses 11-12). This truth has two special applications for us: [1] Nothing is hidden from God. He sees and knows everything - even what goes on in the darkness that hides and obscures everything from us. Whatever and wherever it is, it’s all as plain as bright daylight to the Lord. [2] In the same way that we naturally move from our days to our nights, we will inevitably go through the dark periods that have been “ordained” for our lives (cf., verse 16). But understand this: our dark periods are not darkness to our God and Father. He can help us see our way through the thickest, deepest darkness of our lives to the light of a new day because, to Him, “even the darkness shines like the day.” We simply need to trust Him. Think about this: God has already “knit us together” in the womb; He has already “made us in the secret place;” and He has already written “all of our days in His book - before one of them came to be” (verses 13-16). In other words, we are already completely dependent upon His sovereign hand and His eternal plan. David is saying that God knows everything about us, and He can be fully relied upon to lead us by His hand - even through our darkest day.
3 John is a brief, intimate letter to Gaius, John’s “dear friend” (verse 1). John heard from “some believers” about how Gaius continued to “walk in the truth” (verse 3), for which John commends Gaius for his faithfulness, his love, and his hospitality (verses 3-8). Gaius stands in sharp contrast to Diotrephes, who was “malicious” (verses 9-10). Although this is a short letter, it is nevertheless important because it reveals admirable attitudes and Christian conduct that we ought to emulate. Unfortunately, these virtues are often lacking in the church today. May we, like Gaius, “walk in the truth” and not allow ourselves to be influenced by worldly ways.
In Zechariah 1-4, we see God’s call to the post-exilic Jews who have returned to the land also to “return” to the LORD. God, Who rules over all nations and events, reveals to Zechariah eight night-visions regarding His intentions for Israel in the future. God is not finished with His people, and these prophetic visions to Zechariah point toward the coming Person and work of Jesus Christ. In chapter 1, we see the man among the myrtle trees; chapter 2 – shows us a man with a measuring line; in chapter 3, we see Joshua, the high priest, and the “Branch, Who will remove the sin of the land in a single day” (3:9). Then, in chapter 4, God reveals the coming gift of the Holy Spirit. Each of these elements anticipates the future work that God had already set in motion to redeem Israel and to establish His church among Gentile believers. Zechariah is an awesome book!
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