The Star of Hope is Still in the Sky When the Night is Blackest

"The star of hope is still in the sky when the night is blackest. The LORD will not forget us and hand us over to the enemy. Let us rest in hope. We have to deal with One whose mercy endureth forever. Surely, out of death, and darkness, and despair we shall yet arise to life, light, and liberty." Charles Spurgeon

Back in March, I downloaded a lovely daily journal app called Ordinary Days onto my iPod. I have an entry and usually a photo for every single day since then, though sometimes I have to go back and fill in a gap.

Today, I read back over nearly five months of entries, and found the Spurgeon quote that my friend Bart, an elder at our church, had e-mailed to me. What else did I find in those Ordinary Days?  Sure, lots of just ordinary things: lists of all the household tasks, a note about an event or an amusing conversation, song lyrics. But then also dark times, exhausting times, confusing times, and the faithfulness of God in the midst, often through the encouragement and practical kindness of friends and family.

I am reminded of a poem I wrote in February 2012, probably my favorite of all. When I am having a tough time, I often think of the last few lines and take courage. (More background and photos for the poem here.)

Shimmer and Shadow

I.

Epiphany dawns to blaze of day

Fiery sun and cooling shade

Then sunset glow

Seeping dusk

Star sparkle, honey gold of moon

Obscuring haze of deepening dark

Dark deep

Wait

Rest

Heal

Epiphany dawns

Hope rises on the horizon

  

II.

My life is shimmer and shadow

Shadow and shimmer

A chiaroscuro portrait, 

   clear and dark

The Artist draws and draws

Draws me into scenes 

   of day and night

Draws me to himself 

   in glimmerings and glimpses

There is still life

I am still here

I am here and so is He

In shimmer and shadow

~*~*~

  

"Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." Psalm 139:12

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:2

"I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises." Psalm 119:148

"He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns blackness into dawn and darkens day into night… the Lord is his name." Amos 5:8

"Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars." Psalm 148:3

"My heart is steadfast, O God' I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn." Psalm 108:1-2

"On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.  Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 63:7

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

"… because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Luke 1:78-79

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." Malachi 4:2a

For life, light, and liberty...

Virginia Knowles

www.WatchTheShepherd.blogspot.com

P.S. I just renamed and moved my "mom" blog to This Mom Grows Up.

I added in index pages, and one of them is Rocky Places, full of links to articles on that blog about growing during difficult times. My newest article there is When Life is Not a Bowl of Cherries, and another recent one that I imported from the old blog is Adding Wisdom to Strength. Take a peek and let me know what you think!