Billy Graham once shared that scientists say they do not know what light is. They said that they know the effects of the sun, but don’t exactly know all about it. They also said that they know that no plant or animal or human life on this earth can live without light.

Here is an immutable truth: darkness cannot overcome light. We can go into the darkest room, and if we light a tiny candle, or a match, the light will always overcome the darkness within the room. This truth should be a great encouragement to us in the spiritual realm as well. No matter how dark our circumstances may seem, the Light of God, can lift the darkness that pervades our being, when we seek for the Light.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). A Sunday school chorus that we sang as children said, “The Light of the World is Jesus, and if you come to him, he will cleanse you from your sin.

Once, during a time of great anxiety, a Christian sister gave me some advice, she said, “Rest in the Lord.” It proved to be very helpful advice.

The Quakers quiet their hearts and spirits before God when they gather for worship through a meditative state they call “centering down.” When they rest in the Lord and “wait” on him, they believe that he will bring them understanding, direction, and peace.

Some people have said that to “wait on God” is a more active process, much like when a servant “waits” on tables for others. It is true that it is hard to concentrate on our problems when we are in the midst of serving others. In addition to serving God, Brother Lawrence, the author of the book, “The Practice of the Presence of God,” advises that we stay in touch with him. He said, “There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.”

Some lessons need to be continually learned again and again. Wisdom demands that we focus upon the One who gives wisdom. Since God is the source of wisdom, we must continually remind ourselves to turn to God when we are without the wisdom we need.

Warnings like “thin ice,” “detour ahead,” and “falling rock zone” are all important, but perhaps “low on wisdom” should flash on our mind’s eye when that is our circumstance. The psalmist reminds us of God’s awareness of our needs when he asks the following questions, “Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?” (Ps. 94:9).

God knows what we need, even before we ask for his help and guidance, but he wants us to be wise enough to call on him. He desires worship, fellowship and connection with him on a regular basis. Because God uses us as his instruments, we also want to be ready to help others to see their need to turn to him.

A story went around a while ago that the atheists in America had created a prayer line for callers. According to the story, when you dialed the phone number, no one answered.

The psalmist reminds us that it is not that way with God. He lets us know that when we call on him, he hears us and answers our needs, particularly when we are in trouble. Having someone who is totally dependable to call on in a crisis is worth more than gold.

When a major blackout hit the northeastern United States, caused by a major failure in the Niagara Frontier power grid, a woman called up the New York City Fire Department to confess that she had caused it. She said that she knew her old toaster was faulty and she shouldn’t have plugged it again. She was assured that her toaster hadn’t caused the crisis.

God’s power doesn’t fail. He is all powerful, and fully trustworthy. When we approach God about our needs, we can rest in him for the results.

If you are looking for something specific, it is important to know where to go to find it. As valuable as Google and other computer search engines are in researching certain elements, they are usually knowledge based rather than wisdom based. Wisdom comes from God.

When Solomon was chosen as the king of Israel he asked God for one thing—wisdom. He knew he would succeed if God would grant him his wisdom. Later, when confronted with great challenges like building the Temple in Jerusalem or complicated court decisions involving his subjects, God’s wisdom proved to be more than sufficient.

In Proverbs 9:10, Solomon writes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” He also says, “If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer” (Prov. 9:12).

Solomon failed only when he relied on his own understanding, as each of us will, apart from God’s resources.

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was the title of one of the most famous sermons ever preached. It was preached by Jonathan Edwards in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741. Many people literally fainted with fear as the sermon was being delivered.

Although Psalm 90 wasn’t the minister’s text on that occasion, it does mirror the sentiments of that sermon. It points out our sinful nature and God’s justifiable anger as a result. The psalm also shows the fleeting nature of our time on earth.

While each of us is born for eternity, our lives on earth may last only  70 years. Our soul lives forever. Our eternity is decided by the lives we live and the decisions we make while on earth. The key decision we need to make, using our God given free will, is centered around what we do with Jesus. Our personal salvation depends on our faith and upon God’s grace.

Some doctors have said that more than half of all physical illness can be attributed to emotional causes. How we feel about things “in our hearts” may well have more to do with how our body is feeling than we may think. That’s why doctors, using Latin, formed the word “psychosomatic”—it is a combination of the “psyche” (mind) and soma (body) working against each other.

Unfulfilled yearnings can lead to distress. One of our most basic needs and desires is to know God.

Seven year old, Andrew declared, “I have a space in me that only God can fill!” He obviously wasn’t talking about a physical space but a spiritual one.

The psalmist is expressing this same longing and desire in this psalm. His longing is for a dwelling in the house of God.

When we desire God and his presence, we are truly on a spiritual journey. When we find him, our mind and body can fully rest in him.

Everything is all right. The vast majority of people on earth are right-handed, with only about 15 percent believed to be left-handed.

When speaking of people who are there to help us, we speak of our “right hand man” never our “left hand man.” Likewise, no one has ever heard of “lefteousness”—we only ever hear of righteousness.

In Psalm 80 there are appeals for God to send the Israelites a deliverer. Some believe that the “man at your right hand” (Ps. 80:17) actually refers to Israel itself, being restored by God so that they could be his people, and a solid, free nation, again. Others believe that this is a word of prophecy concerning Jesus, who often referred to himself as “the Son of Man.”

There is a clear request for a “savior” to help rescue and restore Israel to its past greatness in this psalm, but more than that there is a clarion call for its spiritual salvation as well.

Women are advised by self-defense counselors, when under attack, not to yell, “Help.” Rather, the advisors say they should yell, “Fire.” The reason for this advice is that often people run away from cries for “help,” but most people come running when they hear the word “fire.” Sincere cries for help to the Lord, however, are not ignored.

The psalmist addresses God as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Ps. 80:1) and asks for his help for the captive Israelites. His petition has three parts: (1) Restore us, O God Almighty; (2) make your face to shine upon us, (3) that we may be saved” (Ps. 80:7). Three different times at key points in this psalm, there is a pleading intervention for the Israelites to be brought back to God where they will be saved.

Too often we tend to be self-reliant. We commit the sin of independence by not calling on God to save us. He is perfectly willing and able to be all that we need.

There is only one addiction, but it takes many forms. The addiction is self-pity.

When our flesh and our spirit fail us because of continually feeling sorry for ourselves, we fail. If we attempt to cover up our sadness by using drugs or other masking elements, we only further compound our misery. If, however, in wisdom, we turn to God when we are downhearted, he will lift us up.

The psalmist found that his life was a waste of time, and an endless pain, before he turned to God. When he “entered the sanctuary of God” (Ps. 73:17) his eyes were opened. By affirming God’s will, rather than his own, his life took on new meaning.

Like all of us, the psalmist had to deal with his own mortality before he could more clearly see God’s plan for his immortality.

The best affirmation we each can make is to do the will of God, as the Lord’s prayer says, “. . . on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10b)