The sun is shining with a gentle breeze & life blossoms & blooms around us. Yet even in these spring days, life can feel precarious.
Politics are in disarray. God’s laws are disregarded. There is no absolute truth (we’re told)
We can look around & sigh. And conclude that the world is deeply wounded & broken. For our earth is a groaning planet. Our world is fractured by sin.
‘We are all broken-that’s how the light gets in’ according to Ernest Hemingway or Leonard Cohen. And how we need the Great Light of the world to shine!
As children of God, we live in tension & contrast. We are made in the image of God- yet struggle with our flaws & failings.
It feels like Evil is crouching nearby, ever ready to pounce on Goodness. The darkness seems deep yet flickers of light break through.
There’s toil & trouble yet {thankfully} the hope of glory.
At a personal level, day to day life rarely feels smooth or predictable . While we have many blessings there’s usually something to taint our happiness.Even bright sunny days can be overcast by boulders carried in our hearts. Shifting circumstances can eclipse our joy.
But I am convinced that joy & sorrow, love & suffering, peace & pain are inextricably linked in an even more intricate way than parallel tracks or tides on the shore.
Perhaps, they are intertwined like the twisting double stranded helix molecule of DNA – the blue print of life itself. Just as DNA is held together by hydrogen bonds, the twists & turns in life are stabilised by intricate bonds of the love & mercy, grace & goodness of our God.
Just now, in this moment of time, our lives may seem like a tangled mess. But with the eye of faith, we can choose to see that even the troubles & trials, stresses & strains, the bitter & sweet are part of the intricate plans of the perfect infinite wisdom of our God.
Our God created the cosmos, designed our souls & planned our destinies. Yet He carries our burdens and collects our tears.
The Psalmist David wrote:
‘You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book.’
(Psalms 56:8 MSG)
We have to choose to see the unseen,to trace the invisible fingerprints of God in our lives, as He weaves His thread of blessings through the twisting helix of life. He alone can weave all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) into the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11)
Even when things don’t seem to make sense, & everything seems random & chaotic , we can praise Him where we are at in the messy middle.
God brings blessing to our dark days. And often, the greatest blessing is the gift of God Himself. The gift of knowing He is there- with us. And that knowing God is better than knowing why bad things happen.
God’s tender mercies & gentle blessings come even {maybe especially} when everything feels broken. For He is the Redeemer of lost things & the Mender of broken lives.
God said:
“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness-secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”
(Isaiah 45:3 NLT)
Our God gives:
Treasures in the darkness
Calm in chaos
Peace in the storm
Hope in our dark days
And His presence forever
And ever!
{Amen}
Blessings,
Ruthx
Blessed! 