Today is the first day of school for our town which in the last month has experienced some tragic events...fatal vehicle accidents...fatal shooting...deaths of high school students. My most recent prayers to God have been centered around peace for these families, peace at our schools, peace in our community. I have asked God to provide a hedge of protection for our children as they begin a new school year, and today is the day. With tears in my eyes and fear in my heart, I am trying to believe and trust in my God who loves all of us.
In my morning devotions God led me to Exodus 20:19-24 with the main verse being the second half of verse 21: "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." Sometimes there are terrible dark times in our lives, but that doesn't mean God isn't with us. In this section of scripture, the people were too afraid to go near to God...they wanted Moses to do it. Think about how Moses may have felt. Every version of the text I read this morning said that God was in the thick darkness. How scary must that have been to be approaching someone with a voice like a trumpet, with lightening all around and the thick darkness.
In some ways I have felt like that lately. I know God is good, but life can throw us some AWFUL curves. He reminded me this morning, that He is with us in these terrible times. That when we have trouble seeing Him, sometimes He is right there in the thick darkness. Will I (we) have faith to trust Him? And I must trust Him. Part of this portion of scripture talks about how God was proving/testing the Israelites. I think that in the midst of difficult times, there can be a test to see will we trust God or not.
So this morning I choose to trust Him. I will pray ALL DAY for the safety of our children...I will draw near unto the thick darkness where God is...I will not wait for someone else to do it for me...with a trembling and trusting heart, I hope to prove to be faithful.
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