What Do You See?

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever.

Isaiah 9:1 

 

Believe it or not, I pray for God to inspire my soul with these devotions.  God is always faithful.  Sometimes He brings a thought to mind, sometimes He brings a verse to mind, and sometimes He shows me something that a friend is enduring.  This devotion is not exception.  God reminded me that some are enduring darkness and despair.  Because of that, they are in need of encouragement, so here goes.

 

When I was in grade school, my family would take vacation to the Southwest to a conference center called Glorieta in New Mexico.  While I love the Southwest, I didn't like the conference center because, being introverted and socially awkward, I spent most of my time alone.  I remember, one evening after dinner, walking down a path back to our cabin.  I had a flashlight and shined it on the path so I wouldn't trip over something, being that I have always been the graceful sort.

 

About halfway to our cabin, one of maintenance workers was sitting in a chair looking up.  I muttered a greeting and was stepping around him when he said, "Boy, want to see something incredible? Turn off that flashlight, stop looking at the dirt, and look up."  I figured I had nothing to lose, so I did.  Looking up, the sky was so clear and dark with stars shining so brightly.  I can't tell you how long we sat there watching the night sky counting the shooting stars, but for once in my life I felt freedom from all my worries and concerns.  My new friend told me, "You know why this is so amazing?  Because God reminds us that we can only see this sight when it's dark.  Think about it, God's telling us when our world seems dark, if we look up, He's always there."

 

Now, my first thought was this guy is a maintenance worker, how did he come up with such a profound concept.  Then God reminded me that He used fishermen to get the message of love to the people.  As a matter of fact, God reminded me that His Son was a carpenter.  Never underestimate God's methods of delivering His message!  And when despair & darkness surround you....look to God.  His light is always shining on us and in us.