August 27, 2024 Devo

Is there anything more terrifying than being in a storm? Yes, there is. Being in a storm out on the open sea in the middle of the night. When there are no lights nearby and thick clouds block the starry sky, the sea has a darkness you can almost feel. It’s like the night is swallowing you.
That’s what was going on for the disciples. With no modern technology to light things up, they were being tossed up and down by a monster that they couldn’t even see. And they battled that monster for hours. They probably had come to a point of believing that they wouldn’t survive it. It’s easy to give up hope when you can’t see the way before you. Only the flashes of lightning, which terrified them even more, gave them any illumination at all. It was at this point when the dark was at its darkest that Jesus came. The Light they needed. The Hope they needed. The Lifeline they needed. They hadn’t spotted Him yet, but He was there, right there, in their darkest night.
He’s there in yours as well. For those of you who are hanging on by a thread in the midst of your own terrifying darkness. Jesus is there. Some of us are grieving today. A shocking grief. A long-awaited grief. A soon-to-be-coming grief. All of these expressions of grief are different, yet, in many ways, they are very alike. Whether it’s a blanket thrown upon you or one you’ve seen coming, it still blocks out your light. In that grief, you wonder and wait. The shore of a better tomorrow seems a million miles away. But it’s not. He’s not. Jesus is right there in the dark with you. Soon you will catch a glimpse of Him. Soon you recognize His presence, feel His strength, and breathe in the breath of hope. But for now, trust what you know. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” So Jesus is there. In your darkest night.
Let this truth be an anchor of steadiness to all of you who find yourself in dark places. Perhaps it’s the loss of a job, the rejection of love, or the shame of failure. Maybe it’s the bills without end, the lost child who’s far from home, or the one more piece of bad news that you didn’t need. Darkness comes to us all. Deep, thick, and terrifying. Though I can’t tell you how your story is going to end, or what the outcome of your situation will be, let me give a buoy of peace to comfort your souls. You are not alone. Right there with you, in all you are going through, Jesus stands beside you. You may not see Him yet. You may not feel Him yet. But soon you will. Because Jesus always shows up just when you need Him most—in your darkest night. That’s God’s Word for you today.