With God in the Dark

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10.

These words are written for the faithful soul who is passing through the dark hours that come to everyone bound for the kingdom. The one addressed “feareth the Lord,” “obeyeth the voice of His servant,” yet “walketh in darkness, and hath no light.” He is not, then, an unbeliever or apostate. He fears the Lord and obeys God’s servant. He prays, but receives no answer; he is in the dark as to the next step he shall take; he does not know what to do.

Such experiences come to every believing soul, and he is perplexed. What shall he do? The answer is prompt. “Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” That is, do not give up; trust God that He knows; learn to walk with God in the dark as well in the light. Clasp His hand a little tighter. All will come out right.

This was Christ’s experience in Gethsemane. There all was oppressive gloom, and not a ray of light came through.

He was in bewilderment as well as agony; the Father’s face was hidden. Christ was facing the darkness of the tomb, and hope did not assure Him that He would come from the grave a conqueror or tell that the Father had accepted his sacrifice. However, though hope faded, trust in His Father did not. By faith, He was victorious.

Everyone who goes through to the kingdom will experience days of darkness and deep perplexity. It is easy to trust God when all is sweetness and light and His smile is upon us, but it is not easy when God apparently has forsaken us and we are struggling alone in the dark. Dark days are necessary, however, to prepare us for the still darker days that are ahead, even the time of the Great Tribulation, when every appearance will be against us and we will seemingly be left alone.

There are times when we feel discouraged and alone. The heavens are as brass above us, and no light comes through. We feel abandoned and forsaken. God seems to be far off. If He still loves us, why does He not come to our rescue? We are passing through the valley, and all is dark. We pray, but no one hears; we weep, but we weep alone.

Then, as we pray and agonize, we really see God as He is. The veil is drawn aside, and we behold Him who loved us and gave His only Son for us. At the center of the universe is not an impersonal God, not an absentee landlord, not a judge, but a loving Father, one who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities and whose great heart of love yearns over us. We catch a view of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

What a revelation this is! God Himself has suffered; He has passed through the deep waters; He has known loneliness and despair! He understands, and He loves me.

Thank God, we need not feel alone any more. We have a God in heaven that knows and cares; we have a friend at court that will take our part. Why, then, should we be discouraged, why downhearted? Why should we murmur or complain? God knows our temptations, our loneliness, our weaknesses; but He does not despise us. There is not a sorrow or disappointment we endure that He has not felt.

We need not be dismayed no more, for we are children of a king. We have God, who knows and loves us. He bears us on the breastplate of His love; He goes with us all the way, even through the dark valley. Ever blessed be the God of our love!

It is not true, as some would have us believe, that the pathway to heaven is strewn with roses. There are roses, indeed, but there are also thorns, and many of the thorns are sharp, and they pierce deep. However, if we walk with God, He will help us over the worst places; if we cling to Him, He will see us through. If darkness comes, we only need to clasp His hand a little tighter, and precious will be the seasons we will have with Him in the dark.

So, let the perplexed and praying soul take courage. The way may not seem open and clear to us; but God is leading, and we can safely trust in Him. So, if the reader is one of those who fear the Lord and obey the voice of His servants, “let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”

Memory Verse:

Hebrews 12: 4-6. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Questions:

1.      As you have faithfully read through these lessons on prayer, could there be any doubt left in your mind and heart that God has given everything to save you and redeem you? All that is left for you my friend is to trust the Lord fully and completely, to go, to be and do as the Lord directs, and salvations gift is full and free forever and ever. Amen.

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