Before the Dawn

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
Let us acknowledge the Lord;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3

Torn. Infertility makes a woman feel torn, broken, bruised.

And we know God is able. He can heal us, He can give children…Even those who doubt there is a god feel it.

The unfairness of it all. When women have babies ripped from their wombs or leave them stranded in boxes and she can’t…

Instinctively we all know that God can do things and we are torn, injured when He doesn’t.

And in the dark, torn and injured – and aren’t we all torn and injured at some point – we have a choice.

Will we simply cry out to God and cling to what we wanted – a baby, no cancer, a healed relative, a mended relationship?

Or will we acknowledge God? Will we lay our hopes and dreams on His altar and trust Him? Can we say along with Jesus, “Not my will, but Yours,” and wait for the dawn?

God’s coming is as certain as the dawn. And we in the dark must wait for the light to come, wait while God works His perfect will in the difficult, painful, unfathomable.

And while we wait we must remember God is coming. We must continually look for the dawn. We must cling to God and His promises…He will work all things together for good. (Ro 8:28)…His ways are not our ways. (Isa 55:8)…He is close to the brokenhearted. (Ps 34:18)…He will never leave you. (Heb 13:5)…He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. (Eph 3:20)…

When we acknowledge God in the darkness, His Spirit grows fruit in our lives. Or we can cling to what we want and grow dark and bitter.

What helps you acknowledge God in the dark times?