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Pastor Tom Johnson, June 5, 2016
David had plans drawn up for the temple. He provided cedar, stone, and gold (1 Chron 28). He had everything prepared to build a glorious temple. But he would not build it. When the time came, all his son Solomon had to do was give the word. David also gave a song for the temple—Psalm 30. When the temple would be dedicated, God’s people would sing, “Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name!” The temple gates are open. David wants everyone to enter and praise and give thanks to God.
If we feel helpless or sick, David gives us a song, “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” If we have escaped death and the clutches of evil, David gives us a song, “O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol, you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” If we are afraid that God will punish us for our sins, David gives us a song, “For his anger is but for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime.” God’s grace is a million times greater than his judgment. No matter where we’re coming from—no matter how we feel, God wants our worship. He wants us to encounter the true and living God who meets us in our difficulties. God is there in our troubles. He is with us in all our trials and troubles.
But sometimes it is hard to see that. And because our spiritual journey is a walk by faith and not by sight, we may find excuses from withholding our prayers and songs. We may become complacent or think that we cannot offer up our problems to God. Because we are not sure he sees, hears or listens. It can be difficult to worship and keep our eyes on Jesus through difficult times. We wonder where God is in the midst of our questions and trials. We wonder where God’s blessing is in the midst of suffering. There can be a prolonged sadness—an extended period of grief—a cloud of depression that does not seem to want to lift. We are up late at night worried about what the new day may bring—overwhelmed with negative thoughts—unable to see how things can work out for the better. “Weeping may spend the night.” It’s a deep sadness that may weigh us down as we try to sleep at night. Perhaps it is a burden or anxiety that haunts us until twilight. We may not see the end of soaking our pillow with our tears.
Years ago, I shared this psalm with one of my homebound members. From memory, she recited a poem: “God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.” This was a poem that her grandmother had up on her wall. Her grandmother would have her read this periodically to remember that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). “Weeping may spend the night…”
“ …but joy comes in the morning.” God will not let us whither away in loneliness. He will not abandon us in darkness. The light will break through. Just as the sun will rise again. Joy will return in the morning. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear.” David points out the silver lining on the thunderclouds. He points to the faint light at the end of the tunnel. And as a friend of mine likes to say, “The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train.” David points to the hint of dawn on the cold, dark horizon.At the end of Revelation, Jesus gives the same assurance of his presence: “I am the root of David, the bright morning star” (Rev 22:16). Jesus is the bright morning star. Every time you are up early and see Venus shining brightly in the horizon, take comfort! God has written the gospel in the twilight sky. Jesus has risen out of the darkness. He is our forerunner in the sky. That bright planet’s light is the assurance and promise of a new day. When the morning star rises, the new day will follow. The sun will shine on us.
“Weeping may spend for the night, but joy will come in the morning.” And this “joy” is not the same thing as “happiness.” It is a spiritual comfort. It is a supernatural contentment that God has provided for all of our needs. It is a peace that surpasses human understanding. It is confident faith in a good and gracious God and that he is with us and will not give me more than we can handle. It is faith in Jesus Christ who is the light shining in the darkness. It is confidence in Jesus who is the dawn of creation and the light of the world. Shame over our sin, grief over death, and feeling alone may linger for a while but its power has been broken. Christ has died. Christ has risen. We are forgiven. We have eternal life.
“God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without Pain.” Grandma’s poem goes on: “But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above, Unfailing sympathy, undying love.”
“Weeping may spend the night, but joy will come in the morning.”
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