Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday March 7, 2011

Every now and then when I am thinking or writing, I seldom do both at once, an idea or phrase will run across my mind that arrests my attention. Such was the case as I prepared a daily for this week. I put the other on hold and developed this one. I hope you are touched in some way for God.

"In the human condition some nights are longer than from sunset to sunrise."

The statement flashed as I was pouring over Job 35:10-11 and Elihu the pharisaical critic is ripping into Job, yet the critic utters words that help us to be comforted when we are going through an "Arctic Night" experience. Here's Job 35:10-11:

But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; 11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

Here are several thoughts to find comfort for abiding faithful through the "night."

First consider God your Maker, He who made you, made you higher than beasts and wiser than birds, so you are not to act on animal instincts as did Samson, but are to act and react on principles. Furthermore, unlike the kingdom of beasts, we spend a lifetime learning and growing in knowledge and wisdom. Therefore rather than freezing in fear at the "night stalkers" in life we call upon our Maker, and study what He has revealed and thus cope with the scary things in the night.

It is a wonder that in the Mid-Night times of life God intervenes, with a song directly to us, or brings to mind a song someone else received during a dark episode in their life.

It will do you good to take the time for a few months and each day search the scripture for a song, poem, prophecy, appearance or a person sent from God to intervene in the life of a person going through a serious personal or even national crisis. The Bible is full of such stories. My life is also full of the same. Eliphaz another of Job's critics said this in Job 4:13:

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

The critic is reminding Job that God works through the night, intervening. I recall one night years ago when our family was going through a Perfect Storm and while I slept fitfully God gave a portion of scripture to me and woke me. I grabbed the Bible by the night stand read exactly what He had given to me. It was Isaiah 54:13:

And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Against all odds this became true as my children are all now grown and in different ways serving Jesus. God gave me "songs in the night." Are you listening?

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit

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