When the night is long


Day vs. night, light vs. dark, good vs. evil. We often think in these simple terms, but it's really no surprise. God created light, God is our light; God is the only source of all good. Nighttime can be scary, and darkness can bring fear, and so it should be. In the beginning, God created light, and "God saw that the light was good and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day' and the darkness He called 'night'. And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day" (Genesis 1:4-5). 

In John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Light is good; at night, the darkness can make us afraid of the things we cannot see, but "weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5). Every morning I get up knowing, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). Many of us lay our heads down at night, and the worries and problems of the day start running through our heads. For some, like myself, the physical pain we live with gets worse at night, making it impossible to sleep. It can be a long night when you can't sleep, but oh, how glorious is the sunrise after such a night! When the night is long, I often bring to mind the words of David in Psalm 23,

   "The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.

      He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He refreshes my soul.

   He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake.

   Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

      Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

   You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

   Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,

     And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

When the night is long and rest will not come, seek the God of light. Let His word be a lamp to Your feet and a light to your path. "Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually" (1 Chronicles 16:11), and God will give you peace. As it says in Isaiah 26:3, "You (God) keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." As Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Do not be afraid of the dark or allow it to overwhelm you; God is the God of light, peace, and mercy. Trust in Him and you will find peace and rest for your soul.

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