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"IN THE NIGHT SEASON AND ALL THE DAY LONG" by Pastor Dale Freeman There is an old hymn that goes something like this... Some thro' the waters, some thro' the flood, Some thro' the fire, but all thro' the blood. Some thro' great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long. It isn't in the Baptist Hymnal anymore. I have no idea why, although I suspect that it may be one of those songs that suggests things that we don't want to think about. We love the idea of going around, or being delivered from. But, the concept of having to go "through"...now that's another thing entirely. We shouldn't be surprised to learn that the song is really quite biblical. God's Word is a careful record of people who often had to go through the thick of it. Good and Godly people. They went "through" the fiery furnace, and the lion's den, and King David even included the idea in the greatest of Psalms. "Yea, tho I walk 'through' the valley of the shadow of death..." Even Jesus had to step forth from the grave by way of a gory bloodstained execution site. We wish that it were possible to have resurrection without crucifixion. The promise of everlasting life without the reality of suffering and death. It's even an integral part of our eschatology. Who wouldn't much rather be raptured into God's presence before the real heavy duty trouble breaks loose here on earth? The idea of having to somehow go through at least part of the Tribulation seems...well...if not unchristian, at least a little un-American. It's something that has always troubled me when ministering in the former Soviet Union and various dark corners of Africa. I have constantly found myself laboring with people who had obviously paid a great and heavy price. People whom God hadn't delivered from persecution, loss of heath and freedom, and even separation from precious loved ones. We might be tempted to suppose that people who suffer somehow deserve it. It's some retribution for hidden sin or judgment pronounced upon lack of faith. The problem is that these who have suffered are most often some of the best that God has in His service. Mighty prayer warriors and faithful brave proclaimers of the truth. You see...we have few guarantees. We're not promised perfect health, or deliverance from sorrow, pain or physical death. There is but one promise that we share with all those who have gone before us. Whether in a furnace, or pit, or valley, or prison cell, or hospital bed, or funeral home. He is with us. The glorious wonder and testimony of millions from all generations is that His presence is actually enough. In Him we find the solace, and peace that passes all the understanding of this world. We are reminded that we belong to God through His grace and the sacrifice of His Son. Ultimately, no matter what we must go "through", we are assured that we will ultimately stand in His presence as eternal overcomers. That must be what Paul was thinking about when he wrote... "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ahhhhh...that's the glory of it! Whatever may come....this much we know. We are loved...and we win. Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice! |
