Greatness is birthed in the darkest recesses of our soul. The extraction of this precious oil requires a season of pressure, pain and a desperate search for the light of God’s truth. Only when the necessary changes have taken place within the soul will the anointing that reflects God’s glory bubble to the surface. God conceals Himself in darkness so we are not able to discern the movement of His hands, though they are always at work on our behalf. God gets angry at our sin, not at us; because He knows our sin causes tears of regret to flow when we miss the highest goal settling for less than He desires. God’s anger only last for a solitary moment in the night. Once Holy Spirit’s truth is discovered and embraced, God’s favor brings great joy at the rising of the morning sun.

We are called to see, apprehend and continually experience God’s loving kindnesses. We gain much wisdom through the depths of the process that God works into us in the valley of the shadow of death. His grace enables us to die to self, surrender to His perfect will and learn to walk in His higher ways. God desires to cut the chains that bind us, to release the burdens we carry and the things that weigh us down. When we yield to the pruning we will exit the dark night of the soul, enlightened to a new day, understanding that as we draw closer to knowing God and His redemptive ways, His light will now shine brighter in us than in our past.

Jesus, the Creator of all, hung naked surrounded in total darkness on the cross dying for the sins of the world; past, present and future. Gross darkness covered the entire earth from the sixth hour until the ninth hour. Even when Jesus was beaten beyond recognition and shrouded in obscurity, God knew exactly where Jesus was. God turned His face away from Jesus so not to look upon the sin Jesus bore for us. When Jesus freely gave His live and was nailed captive to a cross, blinded by a thick veil of gloom and the bitter pain of separation, God knew the divine plan and narrow path where He was leading Jesus for all of eternity. The crucifixion was the darkest moment in history followed by the utmost resurrection light the world has ever known. 

God searches the recesses of our hearts and test every one of us to show us what resides within. God knows us completely; yet He is too wonderful and amazing for us to understand. He intently watches our every move and counts our every breath. He knows our steps and understands our thought processes both good and bad. God has formed and recorded the words we speak before they are uttered. God has scrutinized our path. He is intimately acquainted with all our ways. He knows when we sit, stand or lay down to rest. God guards and encloses us. He is always before, under, above and behind at all times with His hand resting gently upon our shoulder.

When we are not able to see the next step, God promises His Word will be a light to forge our path. His Word will transform us and make us better when we emerge from the time of testing and the trying of our soul. Every test we take helps us learn to love. The person who does not love does not know the essence of God, for God is perfect love. God sent Jesus to manifest His love to a sinful world so we can be His children and have life through Him.

God rewards a life of faith that trusts in Him. The praises of His children builds a spiritual habitation for the Lord. His presence brings deliverance, healing and peace. Our praise causes Him to move into our dilemmas so His light of hope breaks forth in us. When our attention is drawn to the Kings’ powerful countenance and we lift up our faces to see the light of His presence, God shines His love upon us. God’s compassion is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. Knowing the Holy Spirit has never left or forsaken us, causes us to forget the times of intense pain and the years of suffering in darkness.

When we gaze into God’s affectionate eyes we can sense the tender love Jesus has for us. When lover’s eyes meet they feel the depths of their passion for one another. Nothing is wasted in an infinite God who collects every one of our tears as a glistening treasure and stores them in a heavenly jar. Our King beckons us to gaze full upon His lovely face. He loves us with an everlasting love. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride so does the Lord rejoice over us.

God controls everything; nothing is beyond His loving touch or wisdom. God does His deepest work during our darkest days. God is infinite light there is no darkness within Him at all. We are called to enter into God’s presence and walk in God’s penetrating light. When we are in the depths of the valley, we hear the distant thunder and the sound of the trumpets’ call that brings fear to our heart. So we stand afar off and watch to see the lightening flash and the smoke rising from the mountain of God. Instead of preparing ourselves to boldly rush in; we look for someone else to approach this holy God.

Moses, God’s friend, drew near to God by passing through a cloud of thick darkness to enter God’s radiant presence. Moses had to journey alone while the Israelites stood and shook in fear at a far distance. They were afraid to be tested knowing that their sinful condition would result in their death. They chose to stay in their rebellious condition and listen to a man speak on the behalf of God instead of making the dark cleansing journey into the light of God’s presence. The light of God dwells in thick darkness; to see the countenance of His face, one must press in behind the veil.

We worship and fearfully adore the God who formed us in our mother’s womb. Daily He watches over our developmental process. He sees us in and out of our darkest hour and immerses us in His divine light. God knows how we think and feel in the darkest trials of the night so He instills hope for our tomorrows. When our hope is placed in God and God alone we have the power to change. There is nothing in heaven or on earth that can hide us from God’s watchful gaze. The darkness of night is not darkness to God it is as bright as the noon day sun. God knows our now, our future and our past, nothing escapes His watchful eyes.