I love my Bible. Maybe yours is like mine: pages full of highlights, scriptures underlined, notes penciled in along the sides, and cross-references squished between verses. It also has become my journal...there are dates next to promises, prayer requests and praise reports. In the front and back are sections with plain white pages...at least they used to be...filled with things like poetry, hymns, special quotes and devotional clips. Small treasures picked up while walking along the path of life with Jesus.I have to admit, there are a few things I've written that have tiny ringlets where tears dropped on the page. Those special things that the Lord speaks of in Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." Notice the two blessings God speaks of: treasures and hidden riches or something buried of great value. But how do we obtain these from the Lord?
They are given to those who are living in or walking through "darkness" and to those who are in secret places. Darkness literally means "death, sorrow, misery, or wickedness." The secret place is a place of concealment from others-hidden. In both of those descriptions, I can think of countless friends and family who are going through their own darkness with grief over the loss of a loved one, a time of personal illness or chronic pain, or those who work in wicked and harsh environments daily. I can also think of a dear feeble woman who loves the Lord, but she is limited in her ability to get around. "Housebound" is how and where her days are spent. Concealed from her family who does not visit and limited in friendships and visitors.
There are many applications...maybe you see yourself or someone else in them? Don't worry-I won't drop into a long Bible study, but I did want to show you one particular gold nugget I found by digging a little deeper during my own "night time" experience. There is one scripture that uses this exact term "darkness" in Exodus 14:20, but it is unique to all the rest. The cloud of God's Presence that led His people by day, became at one point "darkness" between them and their enemy for protection. Wherever God's Presence is, that's where I want to be...and sometimes, that means my days are going to be shrouded in a canopy of black. I'm thankful that He showed me it's a place of protection when I am following Him. In HIM...there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5) yet He may dwell in thick darkness (Ex.20:21) and Ps 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
In that place where fears may surface, God's face seems hidden, tears drench my pillow, I can't see the way where I'm to walk...I have put this treasure in the pocket closest to my heart...
Isa 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the LORD,
that obeyeth the voice of his servant,
that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?
let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
