God's Word

This morning's readings bring the power of and the necessity for God's word to mind.  The resounding theme is the text of David's grand psalm, particularly, "Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path." (Psalm 119:105)
Sometimes we forget about what a gift light is for us.  It shows us the way, especially in the midst of darkness.  How many times are we in the darkness?
Jesus was tempted in the deserts by the devil, an event I can only imagine as a dark scene with the evil attempting to quench the burning light of God.  However, Jesus, being the Word in flesh, the embodiment of God's Word, shuts the devil up with great quotes from scripture.  In another instance in the book of Esther, we see how Mordecai, the devout Jew, is not remembered for his good deeds and is even being conspired against—another moment of darkness.  But, through his own respect and life in God, the king finally praises him, and, in the reading for tomorrow, punishes the advisor who had conspired against Mordecai.
And what about us? What kinds of darkness are we going through?  On the surface, sometimes we prefer to retreat from the light of God into the darkness of bars and clubs and motel rooms.  Sometimes we like to retreat into the darkness of closing our eyes to the radiance of Jesus.  Even more so, we face persecution from many out there who wish to exterminate the LGBT community.  They like to throw bible verses and shout and shoot and stone and beat.  But, remembering the psalm, we too can rest assured that God's love is here for us.  In God's word we can find all the comfort we need.  The Bible is a testament to God's love for each and every one of us.  There is darkness, but the light of reconciliation and, ultimately, salvation outshines and extinguishes the darkness.