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, NIV)Don’t be fooled by the luminosi-TEA title. This entry is really about darkness.
Mother would always tell us that we had to be home by dark. That meant we were virtually free to roam the neighborhood until then---an activity unheard of these days. But…because of her admonition, it was easy to assume that bad things loomed and lurked in darkness.
Even as an adult, the darkness that sometimes penetrates my insides seems to get worse as darkness falls outside. Fears become like giants in a kid’s book, attracting and growing more darkness. Like a large shadowy magnet.
Lately I’ve needed words for friends who are in dark places where I’ve never been. So dark, that just quoting scripture would sound platitudinous, if there’s such a word.
- I know nothing about the darkness of living in a war zone as Liza described in her morning email.
- I can only imagine how scary the place is for a friend whose spouse has had not only a sudden and alarming diagnosis but a gloomy prognosis as well.
- Darkness of job-related worries of several friends; concerns that I can't fathom.
- I have not experienced the day in and day out darkness of living with chronic pain as the situation of blog friend in AR.
- Nor have I lived with the fears induced by physical blindness as has a friend just around the corner.
- My heart aches for a dear friend dealing with a BIG potential problem---the fear of it has left me without words.
These are dark places being experienced this very day in the hearts of believers whom I know.
I know that the Light of the Lord is there in all these situations….but that doesn’t negate the existence of those dark places.
……. in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)
 |
| As Dolly explained to P.J---"the sun is there, it's just behind all the dark." (Commercial Appeal Comics 8/16/14), |
