“Nama, look at the sky.” Rylie’s soft voice gently invaded my dreams. That summer, we stayed in a two-bedroom cottage in the hills above Kapalua Bay. We had been watching a movie, resting under the big picture window with the curtains open wide.

“What did you say, Ry?” I whispered. “Look,” she said. I turned over and glanced toward the direction her slender fingers were pointing.

Stars . . . hundreds—no thousands of stars! Living in Southern California, it’s rare to see so many stars. But here we gazed up at the Milky Way galaxy in all its splendor. It was breathtaking, even a bit terrifying. We nestled together there, staring in wonder of God’s magnificent creation until our eyes grew heavy.

The next night . . .

I slept alone under the same window, in the same bed. Waking early, long before dawn, I turned toward the window to gaze at the starry sky. I rubbed my eyes and blinked. Nothing. Had I imagined the stars? Had I just dreamed they were there? Astronomers tell us the stars have been lighting the night sky for, what—hundreds of billions of years? But that night, from my vantage point a thin vapor of clouds obscured reality. It was just . . . dark.

Are you in a dark night? Perhaps it feels like all creation is silent and the wonder of His presence is obscured. I understand. There have been times when I’ve been there too. More importantly, God understands. He is high above us, He is listening. He knows and He understands.

How do we know this? Because God has revealed Himself in a far better way than through the stars. Yes, creation in all its wonder speaks of the glory of God—but when that voice is silent, we have a more sure word. We have the Scriptures. He speaks clearly to us by His Word.

Do you need a word from God for today?

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

“The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One says this: I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts” (Isaiah 57:15 NLT).

That is why we can praise, and trust, and continue to obey Him, even when it is dark.

Two thousand years ago, one starry night, Jesus—the eternal King of the Universe—became one of us. Our Savior was born a helpless babe. And into this dark world He came, the Bright and Morning Star burning with grace and truth.

He finished the work He came to do in those terrible hours on the cross as He took on all our sin and sorrow. Darkness fell over the land, the sun was obscured as He suffered, all the while loving us to death. Three days later He rose in glorious life!

This is why we can hold onto Him in the dark. This is why we can praise Him in the middle of the night.

 

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me is night,”

even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light to You.”

Psalm 139:11