"Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!" (Psalms 31:16)

December 20, 2025

Dear friends,

This morning, my wife and I read Psalm 31 together, just as the sun was streaming brightly through our breakfast window. As the sun beamed down upon the pages of my Bible, I could hardly read because it was so bright.

This got us thinking about light. We read where David said, "Make your face shine on your servant..." (v. 16) This recalls Numbers 6:24-26, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26) (Also, note that verse 5 was quoted by Jesus while dying upon the cross.)

We're thinking today about light, and the beauty of sunshine in a cold world. And the beauty of a shining countenance. It is appropriate at this season that we light candles and put up lights about our homes.

Light -- shining light, sunlight, the sunrise -- is a metaphor for truth. Light scatters darkness and reveals the truth about everything. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5)

Light is metaphor for salvation, even for Christ himself. The Father says to the Son, "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6b) And "...because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

For those who have dwelt long in darkness, light brings great joy and gladness. "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone." (Isaiah 9:2) When the Apostle John saw the risen Jesus, he said, "...his face was like the sun shining in full strength." (Revelation 1:16)

Light is also an image of healing and restoration: "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." (Malachi 4:2) In his Christmas hymn Charles Wesley wrote, "Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Life and light to all, He brings, Risen with healing in His wings!" ("Hark! The Herald Angels Sing")

Christ restores us to an eternal communion with his Father. A shining countenance, like a beaming smile, is a sign of welcome and acceptance, like the prodigal's father seeing his long-lost child return home. Jesus, the Light of the world, came into Satan's dark domain to save us and to reconcile us to God. His bright countenance brings us peace.

The smile of God is upon all who receive his beloved Son, and so, this blessing is for us: "...the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

LINKS AND STUFF.

-- "As the shadows deepen, the promises of God shine their light ever more brightly." Read Christopher Ash on "Our Sorrows Keep Getting More Sorrowful and Joys Keep Getting More Joyful"

-- "The holly bears a berry, As red as any blood; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, To do poor sinners good." Hear Judy Collins sing "The Holly and the Ivy" at the Biltmore.

-- “The place where God was homeless And all men are at home.” A Christmas poem by G.K. Chesterton.

-- Bring the light of hope to others who are suffering for their faith. (Open Doors)

-- The Church of Light, designed by Tadao Ando: Minimalism and the Play of Light.

May you all have a blessed Christmas and think deeply about Christ, who is the Light of the world! He brings truth, salvation, restoration, and the shining countenance of the Father upon all who receive his Son!

Sandy

Afterwords is an occasional newsletter on topics of interest to me (Sandy Young) since my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.