Darkness and Light are the Same to God

Many years ago, when I was about 19 years old, I had the opportunity to sing a song based on Psalm 139. That was my first exposure to it, at least the first one that made an impression on me. Because I performed it, I’ve had bits and pieces of it memorized for nearly 40 years (or at least the gist of it). Through 4 decades (!), I’ve appreciated and found comfort in the words as they came to mind, always with the tune. “Oh, Lord You know me” goes the song … “You know my thoughts. You light the path along my way.”

Fast forward through the life that has passed since I first learned that song. I’ve had the ups and downs one can expect from life. I’ve faced hardships and blessings. Felt need and lived abundantly. Some of those years were filled with light and joy and others were dark and painful. In that time, I’ve made 12 major moves from one state to another including a move to Hawaii and a move to Germany. (Those last 2 were certainly highlights.) In those years, I gave birth to 3 children, sent them to school, brought them home and homeschooled them, made friends, lost friends, and had several surgeries, 3 of which brought my children into the world. I watched my husband go through career highs and lows. I’ve lived a lot of life in those years and through it all, have found great comfort that God has been there with me.

About 2 weeks ago, I opened my Bible to Psalm 139 and began to read. It was fresh to me as if I was hearing it for the first time and it resonated deeply as I listened to the words in my mind. One of the passages says that “Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.” (Ps 139:12, NASB) I have pondered and pondered those words. I don’t know if they’re intended to be literal or figurative and I haven’t studied them. I’ve simply meditated on them. “Darkness and light are alike to You.” My awareness is that as we go through our lives, we assess things and judge them as good or bad. Darkness is bad, light is good. But, what if they’re all good? What if to God they’re all the same? We know His ways are not our ways. I’ve been thinking that all the events in our lives are actually part of one story that God uses to show us Himself. It’s all the same to Him. Darkness and Light. Good and Bad. Blessing and Curse. Maybe it’s just all part of one road that He uses to teach us, to lead us, to help us (or force us) to lean on Him. Romans 8:28 says that “All things work together to Him that loves the Lord and is called according to His purpose.” All things – darkness and light.

I reread that Psalm every day for a week, meditating on it and decided to begin memorizing it. These are words I want in my heart.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You understand my thoughts from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down. You are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before and laid Your had upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful to me. It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Psalm 139:1-6