SILENT AS LIGHT
I am pitifully ignorant of most of the great old hymns. There are so many high and noble truths embedded in them. Sandy, though, having been raised in the Free Methodist Church in Canada, knows virtually all of them, it seems. Now and then I'll come across the lyrics to one in some book I'm reading, and when I share it with her, she'll start singing it!
Just the other day in my morning reading, I came across this beautiful line and have been haunted by it since: "Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light…." Not knowing where it came from, I looked for a footnote, and discovered that it comes from an 1867 hymn by Walter Chalmers Smith called "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise," based on 1 Timothy 1:17 [the complete lyrics are at the bottom of the page]. Interestingly enough, after writing the line down in my journal I continued on with the morning's Scripture readings, only to find that one of them was (you guessed it) 1 Timothy 1:17! And, of course, it will come as no surprise to you that when I shared it with Sandy, she said, "Oh yeah!" and began to sing it.
We think too little of light. Just look at that last phrase: "silent as light." I never thought about it that way, but I just love the thought, don't you? Because, well, we know that God is light. And God is very often silent, in both comforting and difficult ways. But, like light, God is humble and willing to be overlooked.
Light, too, is like that. All that we know, we know by light, and yet light rarely calls attention to itself; it's too busy illuminating other things. Even the wind, invisible though it is, makes itself known to us by its soft spring caresses or its sharp winter teeth or its whispers in the trees. But light–light always points beyond itself. We seldom actually even see light. The closest we come is a ray of sunlight piercing through a fog, but even then it's not the light we see, but the mist hanging in the air. We never see light, but we see all other things by it.
The Bible says that God Himself is light "and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Even in the darkest places, David tells us, "even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to You" (Ps. 139:12).
And the light of God's Word cannot be quenched by darkness either, for His Word is a light to our path (Ps. 119:105). But even God's Word is, if not silent, at least subtle. His voice, we read, is "still, small," easy to miss, quiet as a seed nestled in dark earth.
And even Jesus says, in His own small voice, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). Furthermore, the Apostle John says that "All things came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:3-5). Think of it: His life itself is the light of all people!
And beyond all this, God's light not only helps us see, it helps us see! It gives us understanding in His Word, without the light of which we would know nothing. Psalm 119:130 says that "the unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."
But that lyric says a couple other things about God that I think we need to hear. First, He is "unresting." If you've been around on Sunday mornings lately you know that we've been talking about God ushering in a new season. He is on the move, doing a new thing, birthing gospel life and hope in those who know Him. But while God is most certainly up to "a new thing," He is at the same time always doing a new thing! From the earliest days of Genesis, God has been "working salvation in the earth." And from the earliest days of civilization, He has been at work. And even from your own conception in your mother's womb, He has been "afoot."
Now, one of the paradoxes of our faith is that even while He is unresting, God is always at rest. The Scriptures speak of there being an eternal rest that those of us who believe in Jesus will one day enter. So which is it? Is He at work or is He at rest? The simple answer is … Yes! The truth I think we're meant to focus on is that God is relentless. He is in pursuit of you. In His love, He will permit nothing to hinder His purposes in you. Paul says that "He who began a good work among you will bring it to completion…" (Phil. 1:6).
But the beauty and wonder of all this is found in the other word in this lyric. While unresting, God is also at one and the same time unhasting. He is in no hurry (though don't we sometimes wish He were!). He is not rushed or behind schedule. He is not panicked or daunted by circumstances (though we sometimes may be). He knows what you face, He knows what you are up against, and He will stand as a bulwark and a shield between you and all that would do you harm.
My last encouragement to you today is to trust in this "unresting, unhasting" love of God. Because of His marvelous steadfast love, we can find our rest in Him, because He is our defender and our redeemer–He promises to take all of our pain and sorrow, our frustration and disappointment–and make them count for something beautiful. Indeed, He will turn them to light in the very heart of darkness.
So quiet your soul, friend. Still yourself. All our best insights into the character are revealed in the quiet moments. However marvelously God has revealed Himself to you, I am confident that His most striking revelations, come to us in the quietest moments. If we linger a while in the quiet, He will make His still, small voice heard.
So remember, whatever darkness you are facing, however dense and impenetrable it may seem, the God of light is unresting and unhasting, and the light of His love is working salvation in you, however silently. Trust Him, and walk in the light of His Word, for even this darkness is as light to Him.
Be encouraged, friend, for God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, who spoke all worlds into being, is both with you and for you.
Here's a link to Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.
IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE
1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3 To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish but naught changeth thee.
4 Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.
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