1.31.25
Good morning!
This morning I'll be taking a dory ride to Utila and a ferry ride to Roatan, Honduras to fly back to Michigan via Atlanta. I'm scheduled to arrive at 11:45 p.m. Prayers are appreciated for the trip back to Michigan and the days ahead :-)! It's been a wonderful 9 days of sharing God's Word, experiencing some of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean and receiving love from the Honduran people...it's been a wonderful trip! Thank you Dave, Brenda, Staats, Mona, Pastor Glen and Brenda for the privilege to share this time with you, your family and your people...memories that will stay with me for a lifetime!
One theme during our studies that came up frequently, but we never dissected, was the topic of 'thick darkness' (Ex. 10:22). However, that will be the topic of discussion on tomorrow morning's zoom call, Shabbat morning; 'Why is it so dark' or 'Why is this the only miraculous sign the Egyptians couldn't see'?
Darkness is usually associated with sin. However, I want to flip this ‘proverbial coin’ on its head and pose a very generalized question for consideration. "What do you do when you think you are doing everything right and all the sudden the lights go out"? Everything becomes dark! No light to walk by! What do we do then (Isa. 50:10,11)?
Let me take a quick detour from darkness for just a moment. I think Jesus/Yeshua’s words have clearly taught us the principle that the ‘first mile’ is the legal mile, while the second is the mile of love; the mastery mile and the victory mile (Matt. 5:41; 27:32). As we've seen this week, in our studies, successful people are second milers. If we only do what we’re paid to do (aka the bare minimum), you won’t go very far in life. However, if you are willing to do what others are not willing to do, you will soon receive what others will never receive.
Henry Ford ran an experiment at his office to prove this point. He put a long log in front of the elevator before anyone arrived at work. He wanted to test his employees to see who would notice, question, or do something about that obstacle in the way…no one did anything about it. No one inquired and, consequently, none of the people in that office was employed any more…he fired them all. Henry was looking for the ‘second milers’ and he found his office was full of individuals who were not even ‘one milers.’
Now back to darkness...There’s a very interesting passage in Isaiah 50 that answers our question for the day. Let’s step into this truth and instead of practicing what we preach, let’s preach what we practice J.
It doesn’t take a ‘rocket scientist’ to recognize that we all experience ‘apparent injustices’ in life. We can appreciate that with men, but what about when God appears to do that to us? Why would He ‘turn out the lights’ just when everything was going so well? What good is there in that?
Isaiah 50 reminds us that there will be unexplainable dark times; times it feels so dark we can’t see the nose on the front of our face. Events that make no sense...unexpected health issues, wayward children, financial woes, broken relationships, etc…can’t make sense out of anything. What do you do?
Most individuals can bear up under anything if it makes sense, but what about when nothing makes sense?
“Who is among you that fears God, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon His God. Behold, you that kindle a fire, that surround yourself with sparks: walk in the light you have made and the sparks you have kindled and you can be guaranteed that you will lie down in sorrow” (Isa. 50:10,11).
Huh? How can trying to make a bad situation better make me lie down in sorrow? How can a person who fears the Lord walk in darkness (Isa. 2:5; Rev. 21:24)? What is Isaiah telling us?
First of all, let’s state the obvious: Life isn’t always fair according to our ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’ mindset. It’s usually those who have the greatest devotion to a heavenly mindset that experience the deepest darkness of trouble, perplexing situations, persecution, and being cast down (2 Cor. 4:8,9). What I find interesting about this life is that faith may be born in the light, but, like 'Kodak film' it’s developed in the dark!
Stop to consider when you have grown the most? Was it during the easiest or ‘2 Cor. 4:8,9’ times? Was it not during the darkest times? A wise man once told me, ‘Never doubt in the dark what you’ve learned in the light.’
Could this God-inflicted darkness be a test of our character? What are we instructed to do at times like this? ‘Let Him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon His God.’ King David knew when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, that the Shepherd is there, guiding and comforting with His Rod and Staff (Psa. 23:4).
Over the years, as with this trip, I’ve been encouraged by much stronger individuals to ‘know God more’ and it's that visible knowledge of those truths that will be the light that carries us through the darkest times.
For instance, contrary to our 'logical thinking', light and darkness are the same to Him (Psa. 139:12). His throne is surrounded by thick darkness (Psa. 18:11,12; 97:2; Deut. 4:11; 2 Sam. 22:10; etc;). Yet God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). If the truth of darkness is brought into the light, we will quickly recognize that there are certain things that can only be seen in the dark and not the light. Consider the stars. They are out all day, but they are only seen at night. Ironically, Scripture likens us to the stars of heaven…seen clearly in the darkest part of the night, yet hidden in the glorious light of the Sun (Mal. 4:2). King Cyrus knew this truth as ‘treasures of darkness’ (Isa. 45:3).
Many of you can testify that it’s better to be with God in the darkness than standing alone in man-made light (Isa. 50:11). One of the temptations we, speaking of me, myself and I, have in darkness is to light our own fire. And when I do, I have forgotten that there is a reason why God clothes the heavens in darkness (Isa. 50:3,4); it's part of His ordained plan.
And even though men love darkness more than light (Job 12: 25; 22:13; 24;16; Isa. 29:15;John 3:19; etc,), darkness can’t chase away light. The light always chases away the dark (Gen. 1:3-5; Job 37:11; Isa. 9:2; 42:16; John 1:5; 1 John 1:5; etc,) . The only way darkness can settle is if light is removed. If you, as a child of light, are in darkness it’s God’s doing. Don’t be foolish to light your own fire (speaking to myself!). Your attempt is trying to undo what God has done.
Heed the advice of 'Annie'...If your sun has set, it will 'come out again tomorrow'. If you’re in darkness, the sun will rise again. He wakes you morning by morning (Isa. 50:4), when His mercies are made new (Lam. 3:22,23). There’s a new day before you! His presence is with you! It doesn’t mean the big hurts have gone away, it does mean ‘these to will pass’. The dawning of a new day will come and when it does the ‘bright and morning star’ will appear and the intensity of the dark night will disappear!
Like those who have travelled deep into a cavern and the lights were turned off by the ‘curator’ (scary dark :-), when the ‘curator’ turned them on again, it’s only then that we appreciate the light more than ever and are able to see more clearly than before.
God dwells in the darkness! Approach Him! He'll wrap you up in the warmth of His light!
Shalom!
One theme during our studies that came up frequently, but we never dissected, was the topic of 'thick darkness' (Ex. 10:22). However, that will be the topic of discussion on tomorrow morning's zoom call, Shabbat morning; 'Why is it so dark' or 'Why is this the only miraculous sign the Egyptians couldn't see'?
Darkness is usually associated with sin. However, I want to flip this ‘proverbial coin’ on its head and pose a very generalized question for consideration. "What do you do when you think you are doing everything right and all the sudden the lights go out"? Everything becomes dark! No light to walk by! What do we do then (Isa. 50:10,11)?
Let me take a quick detour from darkness for just a moment. I think Jesus/Yeshua’s words have clearly taught us the principle that the ‘first mile’ is the legal mile, while the second is the mile of love; the mastery mile and the victory mile (Matt. 5:41; 27:32). As we've seen this week, in our studies, successful people are second milers. If we only do what we’re paid to do (aka the bare minimum), you won’t go very far in life. However, if you are willing to do what others are not willing to do, you will soon receive what others will never receive.
Henry Ford ran an experiment at his office to prove this point. He put a long log in front of the elevator before anyone arrived at work. He wanted to test his employees to see who would notice, question, or do something about that obstacle in the way…no one did anything about it. No one inquired and, consequently, none of the people in that office was employed any more…he fired them all. Henry was looking for the ‘second milers’ and he found his office was full of individuals who were not even ‘one milers.’
Now back to darkness...There’s a very interesting passage in Isaiah 50 that answers our question for the day. Let’s step into this truth and instead of practicing what we preach, let’s preach what we practice J.
It doesn’t take a ‘rocket scientist’ to recognize that we all experience ‘apparent injustices’ in life. We can appreciate that with men, but what about when God appears to do that to us? Why would He ‘turn out the lights’ just when everything was going so well? What good is there in that?
Isaiah 50 reminds us that there will be unexplainable dark times; times it feels so dark we can’t see the nose on the front of our face. Events that make no sense...unexpected health issues, wayward children, financial woes, broken relationships, etc…can’t make sense out of anything. What do you do?
Most individuals can bear up under anything if it makes sense, but what about when nothing makes sense?
“Who is among you that fears God, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon His God. Behold, you that kindle a fire, that surround yourself with sparks: walk in the light you have made and the sparks you have kindled and you can be guaranteed that you will lie down in sorrow” (Isa. 50:10,11).
Huh? How can trying to make a bad situation better make me lie down in sorrow? How can a person who fears the Lord walk in darkness (Isa. 2:5; Rev. 21:24)? What is Isaiah telling us?
First of all, let’s state the obvious: Life isn’t always fair according to our ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’ mindset. It’s usually those who have the greatest devotion to a heavenly mindset that experience the deepest darkness of trouble, perplexing situations, persecution, and being cast down (2 Cor. 4:8,9). What I find interesting about this life is that faith may be born in the light, but, like 'Kodak film' it’s developed in the dark!
Stop to consider when you have grown the most? Was it during the easiest or ‘2 Cor. 4:8,9’ times? Was it not during the darkest times? A wise man once told me, ‘Never doubt in the dark what you’ve learned in the light.’
Could this God-inflicted darkness be a test of our character? What are we instructed to do at times like this? ‘Let Him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon His God.’ King David knew when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, that the Shepherd is there, guiding and comforting with His Rod and Staff (Psa. 23:4).
Over the years, as with this trip, I’ve been encouraged by much stronger individuals to ‘know God more’ and it's that visible knowledge of those truths that will be the light that carries us through the darkest times.
For instance, contrary to our 'logical thinking', light and darkness are the same to Him (Psa. 139:12). His throne is surrounded by thick darkness (Psa. 18:11,12; 97:2; Deut. 4:11; 2 Sam. 22:10; etc;). Yet God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). If the truth of darkness is brought into the light, we will quickly recognize that there are certain things that can only be seen in the dark and not the light. Consider the stars. They are out all day, but they are only seen at night. Ironically, Scripture likens us to the stars of heaven…seen clearly in the darkest part of the night, yet hidden in the glorious light of the Sun (Mal. 4:2). King Cyrus knew this truth as ‘treasures of darkness’ (Isa. 45:3).
Many of you can testify that it’s better to be with God in the darkness than standing alone in man-made light (Isa. 50:11). One of the temptations we, speaking of me, myself and I, have in darkness is to light our own fire. And when I do, I have forgotten that there is a reason why God clothes the heavens in darkness (Isa. 50:3,4); it's part of His ordained plan.
And even though men love darkness more than light (Job 12: 25; 22:13; 24;16; Isa. 29:15;John 3:19; etc,), darkness can’t chase away light. The light always chases away the dark (Gen. 1:3-5; Job 37:11; Isa. 9:2; 42:16; John 1:5; 1 John 1:5; etc,) . The only way darkness can settle is if light is removed. If you, as a child of light, are in darkness it’s God’s doing. Don’t be foolish to light your own fire (speaking to myself!). Your attempt is trying to undo what God has done.
Heed the advice of 'Annie'...If your sun has set, it will 'come out again tomorrow'. If you’re in darkness, the sun will rise again. He wakes you morning by morning (Isa. 50:4), when His mercies are made new (Lam. 3:22,23). There’s a new day before you! His presence is with you! It doesn’t mean the big hurts have gone away, it does mean ‘these to will pass’. The dawning of a new day will come and when it does the ‘bright and morning star’ will appear and the intensity of the dark night will disappear!
Like those who have travelled deep into a cavern and the lights were turned off by the ‘curator’ (scary dark :-), when the ‘curator’ turned them on again, it’s only then that we appreciate the light more than ever and are able to see more clearly than before.
God dwells in the darkness! Approach Him! He'll wrap you up in the warmth of His light!
Shalom!
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