Have you ever noticed that light shines brightest in the dark? Dark cannot drive out darkness; only light can. A few months ago I traveled with some close friends on a short-term mission trip to a small, quaint village smuggled in the middle of sugar cane fields located in rural Haiti. You can see the mountain range off in the distance, and an occasional ocean breeze from the nearby beach. Children laughing. People cooking. Cows mooing. Roosters crowing. This is the place many call home.
A Short-Term Mission Story
The day of arrival is always exhausting. Catching a flight at the crack of dawn. Sitting in airports. Waiting around on a plane. Once your feet finally land in dusty, smoggy Port au Prince, you have to board an old, rickety yellow school bus for another seemingly long drive. My friends arrived around dinner time, and I anxiously awaited their arrival since I had come a few days prior. We chatted at dinner and then they went off to bed. Only to hear of bad news in a short while.
My friends’ father had a stroke, and the outcome was bleak. We did our best to comfort their startled hearts. Arranged flights for their return to the states in the morn…and then gathered everyone to the rooftop to pray.
It is a night that I will never forget. Never. Ever. In a million years. The stars were shouting out loud for our attention. Blazing brighter than I had ever seen before. We put on worship music and we wept and we prayed. And we witnessed the glory of the Lord shining bright. It is amazing to experience God being there…even in your darkest hour.
Light Shines Brightest in the Dark
Have you ever noticed that light shines brightest in the dark? It’s more vibrant and alive. This is true in us as well. God has made our dry bones come alive.
Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 4:1-6. We must not lose heart. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (v.6)”
Whatever you are going through today…don’t lose heart. God can make the light shine brightest in the dark. Make the dead rise up. Set the captive free.
God may not answer our prayers as we wish…but we hold on to HOPE because the light shining in our hearts has opened our eyes to see. We know that we know that we know…we will see God one day face to face and He will make all things right again.