And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1: 2. KJV.
Merciful God it is good to know that we can depend on You even in the darkest moments of our lives. May we rest in the assurance that Your Spirit will be there to see us through. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Does our Scripture for today seem to be describing a period of your life, whether past or present? Have you ever felt shapeless and empty? Have you ever experienced darkness so thick that you could reach out and touch it? If you have, or if you are, experiencing such a time in your life, let me remind you that you are not alone. The Spirit of God is there and He is moving on your behalf to see you through these very difficult moments.
Our family have just lived through one of the darkest moments in our entire existence – the death of our eldest child, Julie. She was not only our daughter and sibling; she was our friend, our sweetheart, our darling. A source of pride and joy. When she fell asleep in the Lord, it was as if the lights went out in the life of every member of our family. There were the questions and the moments of disbelief accompanied by the abnormal, indescribable, pain that could only be endured because the Spirit of God was moving beside us and in us and all around us.
It was the Spirit’s presence that gave shape and meaning to our days and especially our nights. It was His presence that filled the horrible emptiness, that if it were not for the grace of God would suck the very breath of life out of our souls. The Spirit of God not only moves, but as other versions of the Bible describes it, He “hovers” over you and protects you from despair and depression, and in their place fills you with courage and hope to face every new day with the realization that the darkness is only temporary. Soon God will speak and there will be light again!
His Word brings light for it is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.” So the things that are not clear to us now will one day make sense. His Word separates the light of truth from the darkness of error and we will understand that “all things work together for good to them that love the Lord.” His Word is life-producing so trees of righteousness will spring forth and bear fruit where now there is only the barren land of pain.
Before you know it your life will begin to transform until the image of God is clearly seen in you. When that happens you will enter into His rest. All of this is possible because the Spirit of God never stopped moving in your life even when it was “without form and [empty]” and filled with the darkness of grief.