The Fire that He Kindles

 

There is a place of darkness through which we walk in this life, a place and time when we aren't sure we can trust this God we love.  It has happened to me a couple of times in recent past memory.  We pray according to God's will, really good things for our loved ones that we know are in keeping with His revealed will, and we see nothing.  No good things happen. God appears to remain silent and inactive.  And in distant memory, when a godly friend committed suicide, I almost lost hope.  Does God answer prayer?  Does He make a way through temptation?  Does He indeed provide a "way of escape", as 1 Corinthians 10 tells us?  How often does it not appear to be so? 

But what, after all, is faith?  Is it not trusting in the darkness, trusting what we know to be true, even if we can't see?  Trusting that we know the One that laid the path before us, and who will not allow us to trip and fall?  Walking in the dark necessitates either standing still and becoming stagnant, or moving forward believing in the One who commands even the darkness. 

Either my circumstances are in charge, or God is.  Either my friend was right in taking her own life, or God made a way of escape for her that she refused.  Either the resurrection is a true event in history that changes everything, or we are all more lost than we think.  Which is it to be? 

Isaiah puts the choice before us this way:  Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.  Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of  your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment.  (50:10,11)

I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be in torment from the Lord.  I'd much prefer to walk in the light that He provides, the light of His Word and His acts in history, as confusing as that sometimes is to do.  By God's grace and in the power of His Holy Spirit, let's encourage one another to trust in Him when the way ahead seems perilous and the skies seem like lead and our God seems like He is sleeping.  He is not, and all will be made clear one day.