Is there Joy in the Morning?

When the darkness of the night comes the sounds outside our house seem magnified. The wind is more threatening, the creaking of the house more disturbing and the phantoms of the mind more fearful. How we can long for the morning. Our fears and tears seem to burden us and flow more freely in the night for we feel so alone.

There are times when we sense we are in the night time of the soul even though it is daytime. Our heart and mind feels that the night has no end and how we long for the coming of a new morning. Our own imprisonment in the power of the night might have come from any number of sources. Whether personal choices of external events we suffer and the tears flow and despair increases. We may face the collapse of our dreams, failures in business and finance, betrayal or broken health and the unfairness of up-bringing or any number of other reasons.

How do we handle these experiences when combined with a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness? It can drive people to various forms of addiction or even suicide. Others might become stoic or harbour revenge of those who have brought on the night time of the soul. What such responses achieve is a deepening of the night and the ultimate destruction of the self. What a person needs is the promise of a new day dawning.

To read the Psalms from the Judeo-Christian Bible is to realise there is a promise of a new morning for any of us. In Psalm 42 (and others) we read of the writer’s crawling from out of the chains of his soul’s night. It wasn’t an instantaneous deliverance but he knew the sunshine of hope and grace was appearing on his horizon. It began when he realised the Lord God was with him, unseen in the dark, but there. ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.’ (Ps. 42:11

To read the news and watch it on the television reveals this world is not only in a moral, spiritual and racial night-time, it is an actual nightmare. Consider the Iraqi Christians being so violated by the Islamic State, will their night end? The Bible promises them a new morning when the Lord Jesus Himself will wipe away their tears in the realm we call glory. A place where there is no night. A place where the scum who are the creatures of the night will be excluded.

Does the nation of Israel have the promise of a new morning dawning? Though it is hard to see it in the midst of the horrors of the Arab world and public opinion, yes it does. After two thousand years of their ‘night’ by what authority can this be said? The same authority which promised us the coming of Jesus, the authority that predicted the crucifixion of this same Jesus, the authority which offers light to those in darkness and hope for those weeping. The Bible! The book by Zephaniah puts the promised morning so well: ‘The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more.’ (3:15)

We will all experience the sorrow and tears in the night. Only those with a confidence in the faithfulness of the Lord to His word have the hope of the new morning coming. As the psalmist put it ‘Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.’ (Ps 30:5b). Can we count on it? That depends, not on God but upon your believing in Him with His offer and grace to you. How can you be certain of His mercy to you to give you the joy of the morning? Because of His rising from the dead, His triumph over the powers of the ‘night’ and authority to forgive and to make you a new person. Do as psalmist says: ‘Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.’ (Psalm 143:8).

We will still face tough times. There may well be different ‘nights’ which seek to roll over our person but now we have a light in our darkness. The light of God’s grace and His word will comfort us and help us endure the night and know that the morning will come and with it, the power of joy.

In my night of sorrow and despair
With its doubts and fears so unfair
Give me a song of the morning to sing
I’m your wounded, fearful child who clings
To your faithfulness in your written word
And this I know, my prayers will be heard
My night, however long it will last
Morning joy comes, the night is past.

Copyright Ray Hawkins July 2014.

Where's God in Life's Storms?

The disciples must have wondered what hit them. One moment they are enjoying sailing on Sea of Galilee, the next rowing for their lives. From out of nowhere the storm had struck. How long they struggled is not mentioned

however it must have been an extended period of time. Did they wonder, ‘where was their Lord when they needed Him’? Why hadn’t He come to their aid? He’d been there for them before when they were in similar strife. At that time they woke Him because of their fear. He stilled that storm (Matthew 8:23–28). Where was He in this one?

In everyday Christian living, sudden, unexpected ‘storms’ blow down upon us. These may be theological issues, personality conflicts or financial difficulties, to name just three. Each one is whipped up or made worse by the bad breath of Satan. Our ‘rowing harder’ is usually in the form of increasingly urgent prayers and making promises. In this mix are questions about where in all of this is the Lord?

Prior to the storm Jesus had gone into a mountain for two reasons. One was to get away from an emotional crowd of ‘king makers’ after the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1–3). It was also to pray. Was it also to give space for the disciples to experience another Faith lesson? Being Passover the moon would have been full and Jesus could have seen their struggles. Why didn’t He go immediately to their aid? Only He knows the real reason. We can only surmise. If we are honest with ourselves, similar emotions play in our minds when we face such times.

According to the Scriptures Jesus is our ever present companion. His assurance to never forsake us is intellectually comforting when the going is smooth. The problem comes in the storm. Emotion devours the confidence of faith. The physical swamps the spiritual. We don’t ‘feel’ the closeness of our Lord and Saviour and we wonder ‘where is He?’ It doesn’t mean He has withdrawn from us. It may be He has something of a Faith lesson for us to experience. He is praying for us similar to the prayer He prayed for Peter, ‘I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ (Luke 22:32).

Within our nature there is a perverse streak. It imagines Jesus should be at our beck and call. What an insipid, spineless disciple we would be if Jesus simply allowed us to ‘sail over the mill pond of life to Heaven’s shore?’ Life isn’t like that in this fallen soul saturated playground of the Devil (1 John 5:19). To exercise our call to be trust and follow Christ Jesus means we are to be witnesses unto Him. In turn that means we are to prove Him faithful and his Word true in all of life’s rough and tumble. We must face the natural and the spiritual storms of life by faith, perseverance and a godly attitude. Only then will faith be firm not fanciful.

Why didn’t the rowing disciples abandon the boat? One reason may well be that to do so would find them in greater peril. The only real option was to ‘hang in there’ and see how the Lord would act. Patience and perseverance are different aspects of trust in the goodness of God. The former seems to embrace a waiting in comfort or anxiety. The latter is shrouded in pain and strife, the gritting of the teeth and the steeling of the heart to hold on until God acts. It is an attitude which believes and knows from previous experiences God is good and His promises are reliable.

How strange it is to read the attitude of the disciples when Jesus turned up. Thinking He was a ghost they were terrified. His reassuring words of self disclosure must have calmed their hearts long before they realised the wind and waves had abated. Many of us can undoubtedly identify with the disciples’ confusion and then relief. So often when the Lord acts in our own ‘storms’ we fail to recognise Him. This isn’t because of unbelief or ignorance but from weariness from the struggle to stay ‘afloat.’ After we recover our breath and realise the terror has passed we should bend knee in praise and gratitude.

Reflection: Are there ‘storms’ brewing around me? Am I confident in God’s grace? Do I understand that the Lord is never late to intervene? What we see in His delay is Christ’s way to deepen our faith.

Request: Help me to trust you in the ‘squalls and storms’ of life. Tune my ear to hear your voice and know your peace above the roar of the ‘waves’.

Happiness which Endures Tough Times

An old saying goes ‘There’s gold in them thar hills.’ Only trouble is you have to go and search for it.

It is a similar in regards to happiness. It isn’t found in the hills or valleys or in things although many can find enjoyment in such things. They can be likened to ‘fools gold’ for they look like the real thing but haven’t the value or lasting worth of real gold. Happiness is something that possesses the heart and mind. It proves its worth and lasting power in tough times.

Can people in Syria, Algeria, Hungary and any number of strife ridden countries know true and lasting happiness? If so, where can it be found? Strange though it may sound true and lasting happiness is founding a Person and His book. This person is Jesus Christ. His book is the Bible. The word we write as ‘happiness’ is translated ‘Blessed’ in this sacred book. In the closing letter called Revelation this term is used at least seven (7) times. That is strange when you think of it for the letter is one dealing with the future and warfare, judgement and conflict. Even the writer, John, when he penned this epistle was a prisoner of Caesar on the isle of Patmos. Yet he was happy! This is his opening words: ‘Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and keep what is written in it; for the time is near.’ Revelation 1:3

The promise to the reader about experiencing happiness from this book is there for the receiving. Unfortunately, between the eye of the reader and the mind there can be many distractions or causes of ‘blindness.’

Happiness cannot be framed and put on the wall as a certificate of merit. To be blessed by God has its high moments of exhilaration and the quieter times of delight. Our defence against a loss of happiness is explained by John in: ‘… blessed are those who hear and keep what is written …’ It’s all in the word ‘keep’. In the NIV translation it says, ‘take it to heart’. The idea suggests a believer should be a watchman on a castle battlement keeping a lookout for enemy infiltration. Our telescope to spot danger is what is written. At the same time God’s word is a microscope. We turn it upon our soul’s attitudes and behaviour. Are we being true to what is written?

In Revelation John takes us through current and foretold events which threaten the happiness of God’s people. This explains why he joins happiness to keeping what is written. Revelation begins with the majesty of Christ and His ability to thrill the hearts of the faithful. Then it presents the judgements of Christ against all that corrupts, oppresses and denies godliness. The book concludes with the glories of Christ’s victory and the new heaven and earth. As we face uncertain times in a turbulent world, the Bible nourishes faith and strengthens hope. It also warns and informs us about coming events. As we read our understanding about God being in control grows. That’s happiness. From even a casual look around the globe there is more tears than laughter, more fear than cheer. How can any reasonable person experience the fruit of happiness which is peace, hope, love and a sense of eternal safety in the face of death? It comes from knowing that Jesus is Lord of your life and that nothing can separate you from Him. (Romans 8) Happiness is the confidence that Jesus Christ keeps His word and will share your trials and troubles and bring you ultimately into His presence. Happiness is the contentment which fills the heart knowing He has set aside a day when Justice will be meted out.

How can we be sure?


more about happiness as promised
by Christ
in my latest devotional.



Read the letter of Revelation and realise this has been given by the risen Lord Jesus to guard us, guide us and bless us. If we face life’s madness and people’s cruelties without Him and His word we have no foundation for happiness, now or in eternity. However st the end of the book promise’s ‘Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed (happy) is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.’ (Revelation 22:7)