Singing In the Dark

The early morning has always been one of my favorite times of the day.   I am blessed these days to be able to spend time as night gives way to day, darkness to light in extended prayer.    The other morning,  I was moved as I heard the sound of a beautiful bird singing its song.    Even though it was still dark outside, the bird was offering its melodious praises to its creator.

The sound of that bird singing in the dark got me to think about how difficult it is for humans to sing in the dark.     I recall the opening song from the musical “Oklahoma”  where Curley sings “Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day.  I got a wonderful feeling everything is going my way.”    It is easy to sing in the sunshine of the day when everything is going your way, but it is harder to sing when your life is filled with dark and gloomy experiences like death, depression, sickness, or hunger.

I read again today the story of a man named Job.    He certainly knew what travail and trouble were .  In a single day, he experienced the death of his children… the loss of his home and livestock… and sickness for himself.    Some might say about Job that “it were not for bad luck he would have  no luck at all.” Despite it all, Job is a man that sings even in a dark time of his life  praises to God.    Listen to what Job says as the news of his troubles was given to him in Job 1:

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.^[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

I think that the only way that Job could “sing in the dark” was that his life was centered in God.  Oh, to  continue to grow closer to the Lord.   Have a joy-filled week.-    Pastor Randy Wall

 Prayer:  O God, help me to live and believe that you are the greatest treasure in my life.  Thank you for being with me in good times and bad times.  I love you, Lord.  Amen.