Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
There are times when the night seems endlessly long, and the dawn is painfully far away. Those are the nights when we’re sitting beside the bed of a sick child, or counting the seconds between breaths as someone we love prepares to enter eternity. Those nights can also happen when we’re waiting for medical test results, or for news of a loved one who is in harm’s way. However and whenever they come, those seemingly endless nights spent watching and waiting are excruciating.
Then there are the other times. The times when it feels as though God is intentionally staying distant from us. We have an agonizing decision to make, or bad news to break to people we love, or the world around us seems to be simply falling to pieces. We pray and we rage and we cry and the dark night of waiting continues. Hoping against the darkness, we search the horizon for that first hint of dawn.
And the dawn always comes. Just as day always follows night, God’s gracious love always breaks into even the darkest times of our lives. If you’re in one of those dark places today, look up! Keep scanning the horizon for the light that will come. Cling to the ancient words of the psalmists who assure us that God always comes through for us.
Prayer: Holy, Mighty and Merciful God: Even in the darkest night, the promise of your light sustains and comforts me. Thank you for your steadfast love. AMEN