Wednesday, April 19, 2017

There Will Be No Dawn Here

When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?'
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn. Job 7:4

I got up to make some photos at the break of day, but the sky was completely overcast this morning. There will be no dawn here. That is not exactly true of course, and at least I had a better night than poor Job. Though clouds may cover the dawning of the day, it will still dawn as the Lord has ordained since the Creation.

I think we have all suffered at least one night like Job did. A night can be excruciatingly long when sleep is not possible. The night before Jesus hung on the cross must have been one such night. Those who faced the terror of the lions' den or the fiery furnace may have faced a similar night. Paul and Silas may have sung because the other option was tossing to await the dawn. Today...well, these days we often do the same for what seems to be no good reason. Why are we so sleepless?

Perhaps we only think there is no good reason.

Paul spoke of the powers of this present darkness. What sort of powers might those powers be allowed in this dark age? "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12) I have thought that I wrestled against flesh and blood in many a sleepless night, but that may not be so. It may be that Job did not know what his enemy was capable of until God allowed the Devil to assault the man in terrible ways. What do I not know about this enemy who seeks to devour me like a lion or sift me as grain is sifted? The Word seems to withhold the intel on this enemy of ours, maybe that is because the terror of such knowledge would leave us paralyzed with fear. For my part, I will remember those words of comfort: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

Have a greater day in Him!
Bucky

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