“Just because I go to bed does not mean the Lord does.”
We all experience moments in our lives where we feel that life and the expectation of life is dark. I call these a night season. Not every person’s night season is the same. Some of us have a night season of illness or depression. Perhaps your night season has limited finances or broken relationships. It may be insecurity about your life situation or fear for the future. I am experiencing a night season of sorts; it feels dark now, but: “God works in the dark.” That was the reminder I wrote in my journal to remind myself that God is always working even if I don’t see it.
Just as physically, a night season is when we are in the dark, a time that limits our sensory distractions; it also lowers human interaction, it is a time of quiet and rest and allows our fears to come to the surface. So too, emotionally and spiritually, we have night seasons. These are when we feel that we are in unknown territory, battling enemies we cannot see, not sure about our way forward and fearful of what the morning will bring.
God works through the night.
The Israelite’s have moved out of Egypt, and Pharaoh is pursuing them. They are stuck at the edge of the Red sea, they are fearful, and they don’t know what to do next. Then God tells Moses to extend his staff over the sea. (Exodus 14:21)
“…and all that night, the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.“
The sea didn’t open straight away; the people had to be in the dark and wait. Not knowing what morning would reveal. All they had was Moses’ promise that they were to “stand firm and see the deliverance of the Lord.”
But here, God worked through the night and made sure the water was held back, and at the fourth watch, the early morning hours of the night, the Egyptians decided to flee because “the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” (Verse 25). Only at daybreak, as the Israelites watched the sea go back, the work of His hand was revealed to them. Thus, all through the night, the Lord worked, and the Israelites themselves were safe.
“Just because I go to bed does not mean the Lord does.”
That is not the only story in the Bible of God working through the night.
- Read in 2 Kings 6:25 -7:16 – it is a season of great scarcity during a siege; God worked overnight against the Arameans who were Israel’s enemy in the siege. At dawn, when four lepers ambled into the Aramean camp to beg for food, they discover that God had been working through the night to provide for the people. The army had fled, leaving all their provisions and treasure on the ground for the people to collect.
In 2 King’s 19:14-36, Hezekiah is surrounded by the Assyrian army and goes to the Lord in prayer. The following day they discover that an angel (only one by the way) of the Lord has slain the entire army, that is 185 000 people.- Acts 12:1-19 James, the brother of John, had been executed by Herod, and Peter was next. He was lying bound by chains next to two guards in prison; people were praying for him because he would die the next day. God sent an angel to free him in the night, and when morning came, his escape was revealed.
Although my workday ceases and I need to go to bed, Gods work does not cease, and He never needs to go to bed.
“He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4)
It may be night right now, but morning is coming to reveal what God has been doing. You see, there is no darkness in God; for Him, it is always light, and He is always working. (Psalm 139:12)
Action: Have you ever heard of planting a seed of faith during the night?
Mark 4:26-29 “He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”“
I believe in a night seed because God never ignores a seed planted in faith. Often, I will have a problem that I don’t have an answer for or don’t know what to do next. In these situations, I plant a seed of prayer at bedtime, laying it before the Lord in faith. Then I go to bed and allow God to work all through the night. In the morning, the Lord will reveal what needs to be done or provide a breakthrough. I recently had a banking problem that I had tried all day to solve, phoning different departments. No success. That night I prayed about it, and in the morning, just after nine, the bank called me about precisely that issue. God had been working
What night seed do you need to plant before the Lord in faith? There is no doubt that a seed planted will produce a harvest eventually. (Gal 6:7-9). If we acknowledge that God works while we are sleeping, what will you leave with Him to work on through the night? Even our night seasons, though they may be long, there is time to plant seeds of faith during the season for God to work out.
- Have you thought that God sleeps or takes rests from His work in your life?
- Are you in a night season of your life right now, where you need to remember that God works through our nights?
Lord, I am so encouraged today to be reminded that You do not sleep or slumber. You have no need to rest. You watch over me all the days of my life. It is also good to know that although You work the night shift, You actually work to prepare my path for me and put in place all that I would need because You love me and provide for me. You also watch over me and protect me and my loved ones. Help me to entrust my concerns to You during the night shift, knowing that You are always working, means that I can find peace and good rest at night. So too Lord, in this night season, I can trust that You are working in my life and I declare that I am constantly planting seeds of faith because I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Michelle, thank you SO much for posting this.
For myself, I’m refocused on our Lord again. He really inspired your words.
For a newly bereaved friend, I hope it gives her the peace of mind and the hope that Jesus will always always be fully aware and deeply engaged in us all. He is our so reign God and being in living relationship with us all at once is His speciality.
Glory, Lord God, MOST HIGH!
Thank you for dropping me a note, I am blessed by your words. Trusting that God will comfort your friend.
Sjoe!! A poweful concept so very well taught.
Thank you for encouraging my heart with new perspective
xxxxxxx
Thank you Dee for your feedback and encouragement to me.
I am blessed.