The worldwide pandemic dominated the news; whose life wasn’t impacted? That was then and this is now. Today’s news streams the dark, quickly replaced by the next “Breaking News”. And in the midst of much hard and broken all around perhaps you’re finally out the other side of a long wilderness journey or maybe you’re entering what looks to be a tough season on the horizon and you’re feeling helpless and a little hopeless. I know the feeling.
During the darkest season of my life, which shook my whole wide world, exhausted and sleeping the sleep of grief I heard the Lord’s still small voice—a whisper—a few words in my spirit. It’s not the norm for the Lord to wake me in the middle of the night. I can count on one hand the number of times. Each time, I’d got out of bed, grabbed my Bible and journal, and settled into my quiet place to wait. But not this night. I vaguely remember thinking, “I need to remember that” and mumbled something to Jesus as I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head.
The next day passed in a blur, and by evening my bed was a welcoming friend. Again, I heard the Lord’s whisper and ignored Him.
A new dawn and sunlight filters in and I sit up quick. Tears come at the realization of what I’d done—two nights in a row! Who does that? Who hears God’s still small voice in their spirit, turns over, and goes back to sleep?
Slowly I reach for my Bible and journal laying next to me on the comforter. I do what I’ve done for decades. Turning to the next blank journal page, pouring my heart out, “Abba Father…I heard Your still small voice…I’m sorry…please forgive me…Holy Spirit have mercy…what did You share…?”
In the silence, I wait.
Hearing His still small voice, tears of gratitude flow and I write, “Somewhere in the world, someone is watching the sunrise.”
I ponder and slowly repeat out loud, “Somewhere in the world someone is watching the sunrise.”
Recalling Astronomy 101, “The sun appears to be rising, although in relation to the earth, the sun is stationary and the earth is revolving on its axis around the sun; from our vantage point, we see the sun rising.”
Hope Whispers, “Somewhere in the world someone is watching the sunrise; they are continual, 24/7”. Excitement builds as I’m led to the Word of God:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion (my inheritance),” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in Him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for (depend on) Him,
to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:22-25).
The dark night of my soul gets a reprieve as the Lord’s supernatural comfort and joy permeate my being.
I get it! I get it!–what the Holy Spirit is revealing! Hope floods my soul.
When darkness surrounds and hopeless beckons us down a black hole of despair, we do not have to wait until the next sunrise, the next morning to cry out to our Heavenly Father. As surely as “Somewhere in the world someone is watching the sunrise” our Lord is with us in-the-right-now-this-very-second longing to hear our laments, our cries, and also our thanks and our praise! What a Good Shepherd! Jesus is faithful even when we can’t see or sense the truth we can know the truth–because God’s Word is true!
THE GREATEST REASON YOU AND I HAVE FOR HOPE IS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS! 🌻
Hope Whispers 