Light in the Darkness

You may remember that these posts mostly come from my journals.  I have written about this particular post once before.  But, as I was looking through the journal this morning, the context of the post reminded me of another way in which the Lord sustains us.

In January of last year, my dad passed away after a multi-year bout with cancer.  In April of 2017, my wife and I had just returned home from the reading and probate of his will.  At the same time, another close relative was battling cancer an hour south of dad’s house.  That situation was deteriorating.

In my journal I record the date and time I begin and the location.  Under that I record the passages I intend to read.  At times I will make a note directly after that about what may be going on, or something I am thinking about or struggling through.

This entry was different.

I wrote the note about the struggle before I wrote down the passages I was going to read.  That is so rare a practice as to be notable.

I wrote, “I have been numb for the past two three days.  Lord please revive my spirit.”

He did.

He did it through His Word.

While I did not pray Psalm 119:18 (here @ Bible Gateway) specifically, the intent, the plea was the same.  I am grateful and overwhelmed by the way the Lord will meet with us in His Word.  He meets us in our pain, our joy, through our tears, and in the midst of our laughter.

He uses His Word as a balm for our anguish.  He pierces the darkness of our despair with the light of His presence.

All we have to do is open the Book and admit we are in need.

CrowdSourcing

Crowdsourcing is a thing.  People are developing GoFundMe sites for many reasons, some really good, some not so much.  It’s a new thing, right?

No.

There were at least three, by my count, in Exodus, without an internet...

Exodus 12:33 – 36 (here @ Bible Gateway) – The Egyptians crowdsourced the exodus of Israel.
Exodus 32:1 – 6 (here @ Bible Gateway) – Israel crowdsourced the golden calf.
Exodus 35:20 – 23 (here @ Bible Gateway) – Israel crowdsourced the Tabernacle

So like most of what we think we came up with, it was really God’s idea.

The Escape from Troubling Times

Unless you are living in denial, you will have come to the realization that this life is difficult.  The difficulty varies based on multiple factors.  I have learned over the years that I would not trade the difficulty that I face for another’s.  It doesn’t matter what their socio economic status, what culture, whatever…  I would not trade.

It seems as if no matter what I do, however well I navigate trouble, there is still more on the way.

I was reviewing John 14:1 – 2 (here @ Bible Gateway) just now.  It seems to me that here in the Lord’s words we find some solace.  The respite from trouble is not some action I take.  It is not some strategy of coping.  Not an application of positive thinking.  Rather, it is in trust.

Trust in Him.

Further, the solution to the trouble, the end of it, is not going to be here.  Rather, it is with Him.  He is preparing a place for us.  Revelation 21:4 (here @ Bible Gateway) indicates that there will be no more mourning, crying, or pain.  No trouble.

We have to trust Him that trouble here is not only temporary, but in our lives for a reason, 2 Corinthians 4:17 (here @ Bible Gateway).  Further, we are to hold on to the truth that what we will have there, as Christ promises in John 14:1 – 2 (here @ Bible Gateway), so far outweighs what we experience here as to make it practically meaningless, Romans 8:18 (here @ Bible Gateway).

Just so you understand the context in our life, I am reviewing journal entries in the midst of a time when our family experienced 5 deaths in 18 months.  Each of those are still painful and have lasting impact on our family in different ways.

These passages, this realization, is one of the things that helps us navigate seasons like this.