In Secret Places
"I came across a great verse the other day," I told my friend as we sat beside the fountain yesterday afternoon and enjoyed the warm sunshine mixed with the quickly cooling fall air.
Isaiah 45:3 says, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places."
"What does that even mean?" she asked.
I playfully patted her knee and exclaimed, "I don't really know. You tell me!"
We laughed together and then carried on our conversation, discussing what such powerful words could mean in our lives. The promise reverberated in our hearts because this semester has brought unusual and difficult struggles for both of us, and we have found oursleves in dark places - not as in darkness of intentional sin, but places where hope, strength, and joy seem to be missing. We don't know how we got there. And we both wondered at times where God could possibly be taking us.
God's promise to us in Isaiah 45:3 is an unusual one: "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places." Treasures of darkness? Riches stored in secret places?
The new NIV translates "treasures of darkness" into "hidden treasure". The image reminds me of a treasure hunt. Perhaps journeying with the Lord is much like an epic adventure that sometimes carries us into dark and secret places, where riches and treasures are reserved for relentless pursuers.
Looking at our present circumstances and the difficulties we face, we together realized that God has been taking us into secret place where riches are waiting to be found. Sometimes those treasures are even hidden in dark corners, in unexpected places, in depths of discourgament and despair.
"And God is light. In Him there is not darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). For those who love and follow Christ, God does not abandon us when we fall into dark places of hopelessness and powerlessness. He stays with us and even goes with us into the dark and secret places, His presence pierces and penetrates darkness, making it not so dark after all.
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be not dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:11-12)
It is in these secret places, these dark corners in which we sometimes find ourselves, that God reveals a mystery: the treasures of darkness, the riches stored in secret places. We uncover the beauty of real faith, unwavering trust, hope against all odds, and joy that does not correlate with circumstances. We come to know God as light in an entirely new way. We gain a deeper awareness of His presence and a confident belief in His power.
But these are only a few of the treausres that I have discovered in my secret place, knowing that the treasure box is ultimately bottomless. I am learning to look at my struggles - my darkness - and see something more.
God gives this promise to all of us, you included. He says, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places...I am light, and in me there is not darkness at all...The darkness cannot hide me. It is not dark to me. Your night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to me." When you wonder, how have I come to this dark place and what am I doing here?, remember that following Jesus is often like a treasure hunt. Riches are found in the secret places. Jesus, your Light that penetrates all darkness, is a Faithful Guide. And the treasure chest is bottomless.
Isaiah 45:3 says, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places."
"What does that even mean?" she asked.
I playfully patted her knee and exclaimed, "I don't really know. You tell me!"
We laughed together and then carried on our conversation, discussing what such powerful words could mean in our lives. The promise reverberated in our hearts because this semester has brought unusual and difficult struggles for both of us, and we have found oursleves in dark places - not as in darkness of intentional sin, but places where hope, strength, and joy seem to be missing. We don't know how we got there. And we both wondered at times where God could possibly be taking us.
God's promise to us in Isaiah 45:3 is an unusual one: "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places." Treasures of darkness? Riches stored in secret places?
The new NIV translates "treasures of darkness" into "hidden treasure". The image reminds me of a treasure hunt. Perhaps journeying with the Lord is much like an epic adventure that sometimes carries us into dark and secret places, where riches and treasures are reserved for relentless pursuers.
Looking at our present circumstances and the difficulties we face, we together realized that God has been taking us into secret place where riches are waiting to be found. Sometimes those treasures are even hidden in dark corners, in unexpected places, in depths of discourgament and despair.
"And God is light. In Him there is not darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). For those who love and follow Christ, God does not abandon us when we fall into dark places of hopelessness and powerlessness. He stays with us and even goes with us into the dark and secret places, His presence pierces and penetrates darkness, making it not so dark after all.
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be not dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:11-12)
It is in these secret places, these dark corners in which we sometimes find ourselves, that God reveals a mystery: the treasures of darkness, the riches stored in secret places. We uncover the beauty of real faith, unwavering trust, hope against all odds, and joy that does not correlate with circumstances. We come to know God as light in an entirely new way. We gain a deeper awareness of His presence and a confident belief in His power.
But these are only a few of the treausres that I have discovered in my secret place, knowing that the treasure box is ultimately bottomless. I am learning to look at my struggles - my darkness - and see something more.
God gives this promise to all of us, you included. He says, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places...I am light, and in me there is not darkness at all...The darkness cannot hide me. It is not dark to me. Your night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to me." When you wonder, how have I come to this dark place and what am I doing here?, remember that following Jesus is often like a treasure hunt. Riches are found in the secret places. Jesus, your Light that penetrates all darkness, is a Faithful Guide. And the treasure chest is bottomless.
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