Men cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night…’ Job 35: 10, NIV
Today we continue with our series on “Songs in the Night.” We will visit with the faithful ones who were battered and bruised, tossed and tempted, in many ways, similar to us. We will see what gave them the strength and courage, to press forward; and hopefully, our faith will be renewed. Today we will begin our visit with:
Blind Bartimaeus: “For years I sat by the roadside begging. That was the only life I knew. But one day I heard my friends talking about a man named Jesus. They said He spoke like no man had ever spoken before; that He was kind and merciful, and that no one who came to Him for healing was ever turned away. I began longing for the day He would pass my way, and as I lay in bed at night, I planned what I would say to Him. My song in the night became: ‘Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry, While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by’ ” (Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, p. 569).
The Woman with the issue of blood: “I had begun to believe I was invisible. For 12 long years I had to keep away from people, so that I would not make them unclean. You see, I had an issue of blood, and everything I touched, everywhere I sat, was considered unclean. So I kept away from everyone; that was, until, I heard about Jesus. I had spent all the money I had; but none of the remedies prescribed by the physicians helped. I knew that without an encounter with Jesus I would eventually die. So that day, I followed Him from the seaside, to the home of Simon the leper, seeking an opportunity to speak to Him; but to no avail. Just as I was about to give up, He passed right beside me. Suddenly, the song I had rehearsed on my bed during the long, long, nights, became a reality: ‘Father, I stretch my hands to Thee; No other help I know; If Thou withdraw Thyself from me, Ah, wither shall I go’ ” (486)?
The Apostle Paul: My encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was a turning point in my life. I would never be the same again. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I had deep regrets about the way I had persecuted the saints of God. My song in the night was: ‘Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me; Died that I might live on high, Died that I might never die; As the branch is to the vine, I am His, and He is mine’ ” (295).
The Woman at the Well: “The day I met Jesus was unusual in every way. Unlike the other women, I went to the well at noon, to avoid my neighbors staring at me and whispering. I was quite shocked when this Jewish gentleman asked me for a drink of water. That, was a first! After conversing with Him for a while I was convinced that He was no ordinary man. He later revealed Himself as exactly who I thought He was: the Messiah! This was the song I sang upon my bed at night, before I met Jesus. I sang it to Him that day: ‘Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up Lord! Come and quench this thirsting of my soul; Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more- Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole’ ” (493)!
I pray that you have been strengthened by the songs of others.
Tomorrow we will conclude this series. Until then, be blessed!