The Night Is Nearly Over

I was reading in my quiet time this morning. I “happen” to be in Romans. Today’s chapter was 13. Now I have read chapter 12 many, many times and can quote much of it verbatim. But if anyone had asked me what is in the 13^th chapter of Romans, I would have drawn a blank.

However, verse 12 took my breath away.  It says:

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.

So let us put aside the deeds of darkness

and put on the armor of light.”

As I have shared before, I am a pastor’s wife, married to my husband, Cliff, for almost 39 years. I am also a recovering alcoholic and prescription pill addict – and that combo (pastor’s wife & addict) has led to an interesting last 15 years or so. Combined with all the trauma and drama of Cliff’s recent brush with death, along with a lot of other, unrelated issues at our church and with our kids, I have been spinning a bit lately and sensed the darkness hovering ever nearer. So when I read this, I just felt this peace steal over my soul.

And God also took the opportunity this morning to remind me that he is the one who is actually in control of everything anyway – not me. This past Sunday, in an adult Sunday School class I am part of, I felt impressed to share just a few words about my recovery, and how God has been using it as a ministry tool lately. Most people in our church know of my past, but of course new people don’t and I don’t usually feel the need to say much. But this Sunday, there was a fairly new couple in the class, and afterwards, the wife approached me with tears in her eyes. She said she had gone to church for years and had been silently crying out for help but never felt she could share her heartache and pain with anyone. She lives with an active alcoholic as a spouse, and believed she had nowhere to turn; that there was no one who would understand. God granted me the opportunity to minister to her, and to invite them to our Celebrate Recovery group on Monday night. They both came, and for the first time, she sensed the tiniest glimmer of hope. I was more encouraged than she was, and have been praising him for this blessing in my own life.

The night can seem so long and so dark. Dawn can appear to be elusive and often comes cloaked in clouds. But I am here to testify that when God declares that the night is over, nothing can prevail against the precious daylight. On this Thanksgiving eve, I pray you all feel the sweet light of his dawning blessings.   

Thanks for listening. Caro