Psalm 34
5a They looked unto him, and were lightened:
"Looked" means "to scan, i.e. look intently at; by impl. TO REGARD WITH PLEASURE…" As I regard You WITH PLEASURE, Lord, I am LIGHTENED. I have found these verses as to how You have LIGHTENED my way, Lord!
For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my DARKNESS." (Ps. 18:28)
You have lit my candle! You have enlightened my DARKNESS – my spiritual darkness as well as my physical "darkness.". Yes, in the midst of DARKNESS OF ILLNESS, You have been my LIGHT OF HOPE.
"The entrance of thy words giveth light…." (Ps. 119:130) And LIGHT OF HOPE was the entrance and receiving of THY WORDS into my heart.
3)"...the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting LIGHT, and thy God thy GLORY (ornament; beauty)." (Is. 60:19c)
No matter how DARK my sickness gets, You will be LIGHT for me! O Lord, I pray, let Your glory rest on me, and let it be beauty for others to see!
4)"…the eyes of your understanding being ENLIGHTENED; that ye may KNOW what is the hope of his CALLING…" (Eph. 1:18)
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" (I Pet. 2:21)
The more I LOOK to You, Lord, the more I will know and understand Your calling on my life. Indeed I do have a CALLING on my life! Even before I was born there was a special CALLING from You to SUFFER TODAY! I was CALLED to FOLLOW IN YOUR STEPS of suffering! Indeed I am part of a "chosen generation", and the reason for my suffering is that I "should shew forth (Your) praises." (From I Pet. 2:9) Herein lies my peace and purpose for living! You have enlightened the eyes of my understanding a little, and someday I shall know all the
reasons WHY…This I know – if there were no suffering here below, heaven would not be as glorious as it shall be…and to the degree I suffer here, for me heaven shall be brighter! The more I suffer…the greater my sufferings…, the more I long for heaven, MY HOME. Thank-
You, Lord, for this LIGHT.
Well, Lord, my mind is going a "million miles a minute", and I can't write it down fast enough. There is so much precious truth in Your Word! The word "lightened" made me think of how You have brought LIGHT to me, but also You have lifted the heavy burdens. Through the giving of LIGHT to me You have made the burdens, pains,and symptoms easier to bear on a day to day basis. "Lightened" means "to sparkle, i.e. (fig.) be cheerful; hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow,…be lightened." What a beautiful picture, Lord! LIGHTEN my life like this definition each day as I LOOK to You!
Yes, and with the acceptance of this CALLING of suffering comes UNDERSTANDING and WISDOM, I believe.
5) "And they that be WISE shall SHINE as the brightness of the firmament; and they that TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS as the stars for ever and ever." (Dan 12:3)
"…thou shalt SHINE FORTH, thou shalt be as the morning." (Job 11:17)
O Lord, this is my desire – to SHINE for You like the bright, red, sun shining forth in its brightness as it rises over the distant hills in the morning. May I TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS like this! This is my purpose for suffering! This is my reason for living on
here!
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