In this place of darkness, God seems so very far away. Has He turned His face away? Is He gone? Fear and abandonment descend like vultures on a corpse. The darkness feels as if it will never go away.
But softly in the distance, the faint whispers of a song begin to creep into the darkness. What is it? What are the words? They are barely audible. The song draws nearer, the words grow louder breaking through the darkness, ministering to a dry and thirsty soul...
"When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace."Unchanging grace. Rest on His unchanging grace. Grace that rescued you out of sin while you were still God's enemy. Grace that brought you safely to God. Grace that is not dependent on you. Grace that is not dependent on how you behave or how you feel. Grace that is undeserved. Grace that has always been initiated by your God. Grace that is faithful in the face of unfaithfulness. Grace that is unchanging, still present, in the midst of darkness. Sweet, sweet rest in the midst of the darkness.
Elijah the Old Testament prophet experienced His own time of darkness. We can find this story in 1 Kings 19. Despair, fear, fatigue, isolation, discouragement had completely overtaken him, and he was too weary to continue on in his ministry and even despaired of his life. And in this story, we see so beautifully a picture of what it means to rest in God's unchanging grace.
The angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ, came to Elijah in his darkness. He didn't abandon him but instead touched him, and fed him and gave him water to drink. Sleep. Rest, Elijah, on His unchanging grace.
The journey is too much for you, Elijah, eat and drink have your fill, said the Angel of the Lord. And so Elijah ate and he drank from the food and water supplied to him, and he was strengthened and able to continue his journey.
We learn that in the darkness Christ is still present. He never leaves or abandons us. Even though the darkness hides his face and we can no longer feel His presence, He is there. In the darkness He is ministering a work of grace in you. Feeding, refreshing those who are in despair. Jesus tells us in in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry." In John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The food and drink that strengthens in the darkness, when our journey becomes too much for us, is Christ alone. He is the food we need. He is the drink that refreshes. Eat and drink of Christ, through the truths of Scripture that display the person and works of Jesus. In the midst of the darkness, have your fill and be strengthened by Him. He is there and has promised to be with those who belong to Him, in all circumstances....even in the place of darkness. And find your rest in His unchanging grace.
Grace & Peace,
Cherié
From Isaiah 43 ~
"But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, [insert your name here], he who formed you, [insert your name here]: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."
From Isaiah 43 ~
"But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, [insert your name here], he who formed you, [insert your name here]: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."
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