Deliverance from Darkness
Have you ever experienced darkness, despair, or descent in your life? Have you experienced a dark night of the soul? Have you ever wrestled with despair? Have you descended into the abyss in your life physically, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally?
Most of us have experienced darkness, despair, and descent at some point in our lives.
When we are at our worst and lowest, God meets us and speaks to us in our darkest hours. God speaks to us in our despair. God lifts us out of the abyss when we descend into the depths of darkness and despair in our lives.
In Jonah chapter one, we learn that Jonah tried to flee from God’s call and was thrown into the raging sea to calm the turbulent waters of God’s judgement. After a large fish swallowed Jonah, chapter two tells us, “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:1-2, ESV).
God heard Jonah’s prayer from his condition of darkness, despair, and descent, and God answered Jonah’s prayer. God delivered Jonah from the belly of the fish. God delivered Jonah from the dark abyss to light and new life. God delivered Jonah from the watery grave to resurrection shore.
May we trust God when we are experiencing the abyss of darkness, despair, and descent, and may we cry out to God in prayer and expect his forgiveness and deliverance in renewal and in provision in resurrection life and light as God delivers us from the darkness.
A Collect for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, or the Tenth Sunday after Trinity (Proper 14): “Almighty God, give us the increase of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you have promised, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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