The Treasures of Darkness

Thus says the Lord…I form light and create darkness.      Isaiah 45:7

What do you dread?

Snakes?  Heights?  Public speaking?  Election season?

Personally, I’m dreading Halloween.  Not because of the pandemic, not because of the little spooks, but because this year the end of Daylight Savings Time coincides with Halloween. 

The end of Daylight Savings used to be my favorite day of the year because it meant setting the clock back and enjoying an extra hour of sleep.  But, not so much anymore. To begin with, our dogs have no idea about time changes and will continue to wake up at 4 a.m. (which will now be 3 a.m.).  It also means that darkness will come earlier.  By mid-December it will be dark here in Omaha around 4:30 in the afternoon.  Scary stuff!

We fear many things, but fear of the dark is one of humanity’s most common fears.  In fact, scientists believe that it is hard wired into us to keep us safe.  Our prehistoric ancestors had reason to be afraid:  they were at their most vulnerable after the sun went down.  There were unknown dangers lurking beyond the flickering light of the campfire.

Darkness is, of course, a metaphor for all kinds of evils, both real and imagined.  There is the darkness of illness and chronic pain; the darkness of loneliness and depression; the darkness of death.  All of these types of darkness of can leave us feeling isolated.  When he was dealing with terminal cancer George Harrison wrote a song called Stuck Inside A Cloud:

Talking to myself
Crying out loud
Only I can hear me, I’m
Stuck inside a cloud

It’s profoundly lonely to be stuck inside a cloud of darkness, whatever the cause.  Then come the questions: Does anyone understand?  Does anyone care?  Is anyone listening?  Is anyone there?

The good news is there is someone there.  Do you know who else is present in the darkness?  God.  God is in the darkness.

Barbara Brown Taylor, who wrote a wonderful book about darkness, points out that on Mount Sinai the people of Israel “stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21).  The word for this thick darkness is araphel, which is indicative of God’s presence.  It shows that while God may often be clothed in radiance, God may also be clothed in thick darkness.

As we will hear this Sunday, God said through the prophet Isaiah “I form light and create darkness.”  So, darkness and light come from the same source:  God.  God is present in both the light and the dark, and God is present in every situation, both the good and the bad.  When there is joy, God is there; when there is pain, God is there; when there is suffering, God is there; when there is injustice, God is there.

And sometimes, if we are open to it, we might even find a blessing in the darkness.

“I will give you the treasures of darkness [says the Lord] and riches hidden in secret places.” (Isaiah 45:3)

What treasures might we find in our times of darkness?  What riches are hidden there?  Some of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned have come through the most painful experiences.  And I have seen tremendous blessings come out of some terrible situations.

Not that it’s easy to see blessings when you’re in the midst of crisis.  Sometimes you see them long after.  It’s like walking into a darkened room when you’ve been in the sunlight:  you can’t see anything.  It takes time for your eyes to adjust.  But, the more you practice, the more you look for blessings in every situation, the better your vision becomes.

We never need to fear the dark.  Darkness doesn’t last forever.  Time will change and the days will grow longer.  The sun will shine.  But, whether it’s light or dark, you can be confident that God is there beside you.

Remember that you are loved.  Stay well and put your mask back on.