You Are The Light!

How often we read in the scriptures of men attempting to describe an indescribably glorious God!

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)

Men like Moses who have hearts to know God in ever deeper ways have throughout history cried out as He did.

“I pray you, show me thy glory!” (Exodus 33:18)

God’s omniscience, omnipresence, sovereignty, greatness, power and glory has been a theme that has captivated my heart ever since I came to know Him. But it’s not just the fact that God is all powerful in every way that captures my heart- it is the realization that this God actually bothers to take notice of me, that He loves me!

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?”  (Psalm 8:3-4)

As great as God’s power is, there is something greater about Him; something that cannot be fathomed; something that defines His very nature-

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

What infinite treasures are held within those three words!

The Apostle, Paul, was so captivated by the love of God he made it his prayer for the church.

“…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

For me the place where all of this comes together is in Psalm 139. It is an absolutely amazing song written by David, who, as most of you already know was “a man after God’s own heart”. (Acts 13:22) This has always been one my favorite places in the entire bible because it totally captures the omnipotent sovereign greatness and glory of God together with the intimate loving heart of our Heavenly Father who in His omniscience is familiar with all our ways .

When I wrote “You Are The Light” I drew heavily from the imagery of Psalm 139 because I wanted the song to breathe with the sense that our God is indescribably great- that He is Almighty Sovereign God! We don’t know what the melody sounded like that David wrote, but we know by his words that what he felt, he felt passionately. Those of us who write scripture songs are in our own way echoing what those who have gone before us have experienced and felt- we bring our own life experience into it because God is a living God! The same God David knew and wrote about is the One we know and experience! Throughout my song I weave and intertwine intimacy with vastness, telling of His love and His power, His omniscience and His care-  which I believe, is just how God reveals Himself to us.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
         Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
         If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,
         If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me,
         And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
         And the light around me will be night,”

Even the darkness is not dark to You,
         And the night is as bright as the day.
         Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
         You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
         Wonderful are Your works,
         And my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:7-14)