It’s dark this time of year. I pray for you that’s only true in a literal, physical sense relating to the sun’s absence as of late, but I know it might resonate deeper than that, too. Maybe this time of year feels dark to you for another reason. Maybe someone you love a lot has walked away from their faith. Maybe you’re wrestling with disillusionment or anger or doubt. Maybe someone isn’t here for the holidays this year that should be.
Psalm 113:3 encourages us: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!" (ESV)
If you live in Alaska, that’s not a long span this time of year - around five and a half hours for Anchorage, more like 3 for Fairbanks, while Utqiagvik sits in complete darkness for another 25 days or so.
Alaska life also doesn’t allow us to capture the full scope of the psalmist’s intended metaphor here. Where the writer meant to express the all-encompassing nature of this invitation to praise God alone - from East to West, everywhere! - for us here in the north, we see the light pop up on the southern horizon and set on the same. When your house doesn’t even get sun this time of year, perhaps you’re reminded all the more pointedly of the shadowy areas of your life that feel so far beyond the reach of the light.
But that’s actually why I love this verse for this moment - as the sun sets on 2025 and rises on 2026, we Alaskans know better than anyone that it is possible to praise through the darkness. When the light doesn’t touch all the horizons, when things only feel bright for a little bit, we can still choose praise.
Why? Because our praise is not about us and our circumstances - it’s not about how sunny life looks right now. Praise is about who our God is - day or night, warm or cold, light or dark - He is always worthy of our praise, because He is God, and we are His.
What can you find to praise God for today? Where can you invite praise into the darkness? I challenge you to come to the ACF Fireworks Outreach tonight at Lion’s Park - as an act of defiance to the dark. That in the midst of deep darkness and bitter cold, we would push back - we would show up for our city with the joy of the Lord and the light of the gospel. That we would say to our city, you are worth showing up for, even when it’s inconvenient and hard, because we carry the true light, and we know you need some, too.
The joy and light of firecrackers are fleeting, but what they represent is not. Jesus exploded onto the scene two thousand years ago, with angel armies praising his presence in the skies. And because of that most fabulous display of lights that announced God with us, even in the dark, we too can celebrate the power of His light. The name of the Lord is to be praised! Amen.
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It’s dark this time of year. I pray for you that’s only true in a literal, physical sense relating to the sun’s absence as of late, but I know it might resonate deeper than that, too. Maybe this time of year feels dark to you for another reason. Maybe someone you love a lot has walked away from their faith. Maybe you’re wrestling with disillusionment or anger or doubt. Maybe someone isn’t here for the holidays this year that should be.
Psalm 113:3 encourages us: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!" (ESV)
If you live in Alaska, that’s not a long span this time of year - around five and a half hours for Anchorage, more like 3 for Fairbanks, while Utqiagvik sits in complete darkness for another 25 days or so.
Alaska life also doesn’t allow us to capture the full scope of the psalmist’s intended metaphor here. Where the writer meant to express the all-encompassing nature of this invitation to praise God alone - from East to West, everywhere! - for us here in the north, we see the light pop up on the southern horizon and set on the same. When your house doesn’t even get sun this time of year, perhaps you’re reminded all the more pointedly of the shadowy areas of your life that feel so far beyond the reach of the light.
But that’s actually why I love this verse for this moment - as the sun sets on 2025 and rises on 2026, we Alaskans know better than anyone that it is possible to praise through the darkness. When the light doesn’t touch all the horizons, when things only feel bright for a little bit, we can still choose praise.
Why? Because our praise is not about us and our circumstances - it’s not about how sunny life looks right now. Praise is about who our God is - day or night, warm or cold, light or dark - He is always worthy of our praise, because He is God, and we are His.
What can you find to praise God for today? Where can you invite praise into the darkness? I challenge you to come to the ACF Fireworks Outreach tonight at Lion’s Park - as an act of defiance to the dark. That in the midst of deep darkness and bitter cold, we would push back - we would show up for our city with the joy of the Lord and the light of the gospel. That we would say to our city, you are worth showing up for, even when it’s inconvenient and hard, because we carry the true light, and we know you need some, too.
The joy and light of firecrackers are fleeting, but what they represent is not. Jesus exploded onto the scene two thousand years ago, with angel armies praising his presence in the skies. And because of that most fabulous display of lights that announced God with us, even in the dark, we too can celebrate the power of His light. The name of the Lord is to be praised! Amen.
Written by
ACF Devo Team Leader
Eagle River Campus
16620 Brooks Loop
Eagle River, AK 99577
NE Anchorage Campus
Regal Tikahtnu
1102 N Muldoon Rd B
Anchorage, AK 99504
