Sophie is my early riser. She doesn’t need to be out of bed until seven or so but she sets her alarm and comes down in the quiet of the morning just after five o’clock and lies on the couch while I spend time praying and reading. She usually drifts back off to sleep for a bit but she just likes to be near me.
This morning, when she came down I sat staring at my laptop. I was trying to put together the thoughts in my head for my blog this morning. She asked what I was doing and I told her, “I’m just not sure yet what I want to write.”
I guess this seemed to be the opportune time for her to offer her suggestions…
“Type about how it’s getting colder and how Jesus made the earth and it’s a miracle; and how when you’re having hard times all you need to do is pray and Jesus will make it better; and how it’s a beautiful miracle when babies enter the earth.”
Funny how those thoughts all came out in one long, run-on sentence. I sat stunned and delighted at her suggestions but it seemed to me it might be better to continue working on the thoughts in my mind than to try to develop THAT into a blog post…I guess the title would look something like –
Jesus: the Creator of the Seasons (even cold ones) and Babies is also our Comforter in Hard Times When We Pray
Instead, lets take a look at a verse God has been bringing to my heart and mind over the past couple of weeks.
When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Psalm 112:4
“When darkness overtakes the godly,”
Darkness threatens our lives in many forms – some from without and some from within. Perhaps you’re thinking of the darkness that surrounds you right now.
- Illness
- Loss of a job
- Separation
- Death of a loved one
- Broken relationships
- Doubt
- Fear
- Anger
- Depression
The darkness is often blatant and threatening. It comes at us like an enemy – an adversary. Thankfully, there are many passages of scripture that speak of the battle between light and darkness and how we can be victors in Christ. Christ even tells us that He is the “Light of the world”, promising us that we don’t have to walk in darkness.
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12
Truly, as believers, we don’t face our darkness alone. But a question has been running in my mind – one I believe God has prompted to bring me deeper understanding of His work by His grace. The question is this…
What if God brings the darkness?
But, Tammy, you just quoted the verse from John 8:12 where Christ says we don’t have to walk in darkness! It’s true. Christ came to rescue us from spiritual darkness and death. He redeems us from soul darkness as His light is shed abroad in our hearts. Then He continues to light the way for us to go.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105
However, I am learning about a different kind of darkness as I grow in my relationship with God and draw nearer to Him. I find, as I seek to follow Him, He becomes shrouded at times in a darkness. Can darkness ever be good? When it precedes a deeper knowledge of God, the answer is most emphatically yes!
Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 1 Kings 8:12
Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Psalm 97:2
Presently, I find myself in circumstances orchestrated by God that are difficult. Although I know He has led me this far, the way seems hard and sometimes there are great obstacles in front of me.
“God are you sure this is the way?”
“God why are you not swooping in to rescue me in this?”
“Are you listening?”
“Do you see me in this darkness?”
“I can’t really see You!”
The only way to proceed in times like these is to draw closer to God, to go deeper into the darkness that shrouds Him. Sometimes, He allows this darkness to tarry until I become desperate to see Him. Just then, His light comes bursting in. One thing is for sure, a miraculous work is taking place while in the darkness.
A miraculous work is taking place while in the darkness.
The late Oswald Chambers may be able to better express my thoughts in his devotion for January 19 in MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST:
Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light— that is the time to listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (see Isaiah 50:10-11).
Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God…”— El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.
Now, let’s take a look at the second part of the verse I’ve been meditating on – the evidences of God’s light bursting into our lives.
When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Upon first reading this verse I thought, “Oh, okay, so this verse describes the ‘godly’ as being generous compassionate and righteous…” And their reward is that the “light will come bursting through” when they are in darkness – as if they earned it in some way.
But in studying the verse further, I see that generosity, compassion and righteousness are RESULTS in us when God breaks through the darkness in our lives with His marvelous light. When He breaks into our darkness, we seem Him better than we did before. We see He is faithful. We see that He loves us. We see we can trust Him even in the darkest night. And we can’t help but have an outpouring of generosity, compassion and righteousness.
When God invades the darkness in our lives, we emerge changed.
Generosity, compassion and righteousness are evidences of God pouring Himself into the corners of our lives, like light invading the darkness.
Are you shrouded in darkness?
Is it a darkness orchestrated by God?
Quiet yourself.
Wait on the Lord.
And the Light will come bursting in.
Nana - May His Light shine brightly over your home this day. ( and upon all those you love….)