Night-time experiences (2)

When God blesses you, get ready for the complainers who think He should have either not blessed you at all, blessed them just as much, or blessed them even more than you. When an argument started about which of the twelve tribes should lead Israel, God told Moses to get each tribal leader to write his name on his staff and place it overnight in the tabernacle. Then God said, ‘The man I have chosen…buds will grow on his rod! Then at last this murmuring and complaining against you will stop!’ (Numbers 17:5 TLB). Imagine an old stick with no roots or sap blossoming in the dark! It sounds impossible, but God made it happen. The truth is, our faith can’t grow without being stretched by difficulties; it has to incubate in the darkness of adversity. There’s a stage when we don’t even know we’ve been chosen by God; only He knows. He told Jeremiah, ‘Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.’ Before you even existed, God had plans for you. God has had His protecting hand on you and has rescued you more times than you know. He didn’t choose you because you’re virtuous and wonderful. ‘He chose what the world thinks is unimportant…so that no one can brag’ (1 Corinthians 1:28-29 NCV). When God created the heavens and the earth, the Bible says, ‘Darkness covered the face of the deep’ (Genesis 1:2 NRSV). Then God spoke and said, ‘Let there be lights…And it was so’ (Genesis 1:14-15 NIV). And today God can bring light to push away your darkness and hope to destroy your despair. He isn’t intimidated by the dark – it’s where He does some of His best work!