August 27 – Until the Dawn

“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”   2 Peter 1:19 (NASB)

Our God knows the needs of His people. He knows that we could not get along spiritually by ourselves in this world.  That is why He has revealed His thoughts to us in the Bible.  We have our Bibles to read and we have opportunity to hear God's Word taught and preached.  This privilege is what the Apostle Peter wrote about in the verse we have chosen for today.  What would we do without the Scriptures which God has had recorded and preserved so well for us?  We would really be in the dark about God and His creation and His love for us, wouldn't we?  Peter compares God's Word to a light shinning in a dark place.  And, Peter recommends that we pay attention to what it says and teaches us.  If you've ever walked a path at night without light to guide your way, you know how important a torch or flashlight is to avoid the rocks, holes and even snakes on the path.  God's Word is a light to our path in life which helps us to avoid the pitfalls and the snares and the evil workers who wish to trip us up.  Trusting God's Word will guide us until the dawn when there will no longer be any darkness. 

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April 19 – Paying Attention for Light

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19 (NIV)

Our God has provided us with all that we need. This includes the instruction that we need to live the Christian life. He knows our needs and has provided help for us in the Bible. We read about this in the second letter written by the Apostle Peter. God has spoken to us through the Old Testament prophets and also through the apostles such as Peter who wrote these words in today's verse.  Yes, God's word in the Bible is like a light shining in a dark place.  As we read the Bible, and as we hear it taught and preached, its teaching lights up the way for us as we pay attention to to it. It dispels the darkness that clouds our understanding.  Like the morning dawn, which brings light to our days, the Word of God which we receive in our hearts from the Bible, brings the light we need to understand how and what God is leading us to. We do well to pay attention to the message given to us today, it has the promises of God for our lives. 

October 27 – A Light in Darkness

“So we have the prophetic word made more sure to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the morning star arises in your hearts” 2 Peter 1:19 (NASB)

We are sharing this verse again, as we did earlier this month. We can see how God revealed Himself to us in the Bible. In this letter Peter is writing about the Old Testament Scriptures. The idea of readily available books was a long time off and the New Testament was being written. Worshipers listened during assembly time to what was read from Old Testament scrolls. Some even listened to the letters written by the apostles such as Peter's letters which were shared. As they listened they were receiving the revelation from God as a light in their world which was a dark place. We might be good to realize that darkness is growing in our world even now and we need the light that His word provides for us until the day when the darkness will be extinguished. 

October 6 – Light in a Dark Place

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19 (NIV)

As we read these words written by the Apostle Peter we remember how his readers would reflect on the the words of the prophets. People didn't have the Bible complete in those days but they could go to their meeting places and hear someone reading the Old Testament writings from a scroll. Even so, Peter spoke of those writings as being like the morning star shining in their hearts. Just think of how much more we have. Most can have a copy of the Bible in their home and we can read God's word for ourselves. We can also hear teaching and reading from the Bible. In whatever way God's word comes to us the promise we have is that if pay attention to it it will be like a light showing the way for us.