Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day (Tuesday 9/8/09)

Never Doubt In The Dark, What God Has Told You In The Light!

1 Peter 2:9-10 (New Living Translation)

⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”

When I was younger I use to have what people refer to as night terrors. Those are bad dreams on steroids. They cause you to have a physical reaction to a subconscious event, so my dreams would cause me to wake up shaking and screaming from my sleep, sometimes even crying. I would do one of two things when this would happen, I would find my way (legs wobbly) into my brothers room and crawl into bed with him, which I was always met with the response “what are you doing, why are you in here,” and then he would eventually after my begging or fumbled explanation allow me safe haven for the night; or I would find my way to my mom and dad’s room, where my mother would feel my presence before I fully entered the room, and would pull back the covers and let me in. She would gather me in her arms and pray over me, knowing what I had been through without a word spoken most times. The next morning, things would look so different the house, my bedroom and every element that had spun out of control the night before, in the light I could see clearly was peaceful and safe. But as night would fall after an episode like that I would find myself in dread, fearing the house that in the day light brought me sanctuary and joy. I had allowed my peace to be snatched away, and fear and doubt to replace it was because my vision was impaired and because of the lack of light…

Isn’t that a familiar place that we have been with God? When we are living in the light and all is well in our lives and we can see clearly what God has in store, we find comfort and peace in our lives, our surroundings and God’s promises. But it is in the dusk or the midnight hours when our vision is impaired and our way is not so clear, or we have things, people and events terrorizing us that what we found so soothing and reassuring, in a time in our lives now has become a place of doubt and insecurity. In Isaiah 43:1-2 God promises: “ ¹BUT NOW [in spite of past judgments for Israel's sins], thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you [ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. ²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.” Just because our vision may be impaired, our focused may blurred, terror may surround us and our path unsure, God still is in control and He has everything in hand. He is our safety, our guide, our provider, our healer and so much more. Even when we don’t see it, His word proclaims it and that makes it so!

Today, if you are in a season where it is yet day, remember these days and build up your most holy faith, remember God’s word’s to you in this season. Tuck them in the very fiber of your being and the recesses of your heart. If you are in a season where it is dusk or dark remember that God is true and everything else is a lie. Remember just because you can not see it that your provision and your comfort still exist, because God said so, and He promised it in His word. This means, that even when we can’t see it or tell that He is there, He is. Whatever God has given you, imparted to you and promised you in the light is still yours when you are in a season of darkness. Remember He has not left you, and His promises for you still stand, only believe!