Light in the dimness of my soul

– Excerpt from: More Than Meets the Eye, by Richard A. Swenson, MD; richardswenson.com/about; NavPress; ©2000, pages 185-186.

The truths of Scripture, the life of Christ, the discoveries of science – all should combine to lift us heavenward.  Yet we remain strangely anxious.  Our days are swamped by the mundane; our nights are swallowed by insomnia. Seldom do we know true restedness.

Yet God would tell us, “Be still before me; wait patiently. Trust in me, and I will give you rest.” ¹

We know that God is out there, that He sees and cares. But we are still tempted to run our lives independently, often consulting Him only for crises or trivialities. Yet God would tell us, “Don’t you know that I care more about you than a hundred billion galaxies?  That I work in your life on a thousand levels all at the same time?”

We have heard that God is strong, but perhaps have trouble believing that His strength extends all the way to our problems. “Most of us believe God can move mountains“, observes Russ Johnston. “But how many of us believe He will?  There’s a world of difference.”

We believe God can work mightily on our behalf, but we really aren’t sure He will.”  Yet God would tell us if we but “have faith as a grain of mustard see…”

The Almighty has sufficiently demonstrated His greatness in both the Scriptures and science. The problem is not a deficiency on God’s part but rather dimness on ours. “Spirit of God descend upon my heart… I ask not dreams, no prophet ecstasies… but take the dimness of my soul away.” ²

Only then will we rest under a full awareness of His dominion. “Oh, that we might learn the undefeatedness of God!” said Watchman Nee.

In the end, sovereignty wins. In the end, glory will be unrestrained. Finally, at long last, God will deliver us from our dimness. And in the shelter of the most High, we will enter our rest.

– Excerpt from: More Than Meets the Eye, by Richard A. Swenson, MD; richardswenson.com/about; NavPress; ©2000, pages 185-186.

1. References: Psalm 46:10;Psalm 40:4;Proverbs 3:5-6;Psalm 56:11;Psalm 28:7;Matthew 11:28.
2. George Croly (1780-1860), “Spirit of God, Decend upon My Heart.”.