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Night And Joy


 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5) 

             What is it about night that causes weeping? What is it about morning that brings joy? What is the difference between night and morning? Consider the obvious. At night, it’s dark. You can’t see. Your access to resources is reduced because the places you might go are closed. Those who might help are in bed. So are most other people, which means doing something about your situation might disturb others. Metaphorically, “night” is whenever we cannot see and cannot do. It is when our way is blocked. What we can do at night is grieve, stew, dream, or rest. Stewing tends to lead to tears.

            Look at the days listed in the first chapter of Genesis. “And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day” (Genesis1:5.) In Jewish tradition, days begin at sundown. There is a little time for worship and family and then it’s time for bed. Even in the West, the day begins at midnight – no time for worship or family, only time to already be in bed. Work generally doesn’t begin until the day is a quarter to half over. I know I’ve talked about this before, but I think we tend to miss this. God didn’t do this by accident. The day begins with a time during which we generally can’t do as much, if anything, about the day until after we have worshipped, related to those closest to us and rested. It was part of the plan. We shouldn’t be surprised when nights come.
            Instead of stewing, however, night should be a time when we try something different: meditation. In The Truth Project, Del Tackett often remarked that the answer to the questions being explored was to "look on the face of God," because in God, Himself, were the answers. In the night watches, when we cannot see and cannot do; when there seems to be no way to move forward, it is time to ponder God and allow Him to act. Rest in Him and no matter how long the night, the dawn will come.

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