"I Remember Your Name In The Night"

"I remember your Name in the night, O LORD, and I keep Your Law."  Psalm 119:55

There are times when the faithful ones are burdened with anxiety.  Such times are common to those who desire to walk with God as revealed in his Word.  One writer said:  "... there are times when we are on the battlefield and there are time when we are the battlefield."  When those things that we have depended upon for constancy and reassurance have seemed to vanish we may ask ourselves what these things mean?

There may not be a fast answer to such a question and we are then compelled to enter into a season of waiting.  The season of waiting invites us to examine where we are in our spiritual pilgrimage.  The season of waiting may seem like a long restless night.  James tells us to count it all joy when we are surrounded by trials.  I struggle with his words.

One compelling problem of significant content is quite enough is it not?  But when other problems are added to the original problematic issue like train cars and I have not yet found an answer to the original problem I am liable to become overwhelmed.  In the midst of allocating a bit of my finite attention here and there I can lose sight of God.

However, as I grow up spiritually I come to learn that problems are teaching events.  I resisted this idea as a spiritually immature person.  As a spiritually immature person problems were a nuisance to my idolatrous narcissism.  I missed the depth and purpose of problems by seeking out how to be rid of them as soon a possible.  But then problems came along that forced me to reconsider my ways, and then I began to appreciate problems.

It was when I performed a spiritual autopsy on a particular problem that disturbed me for a very long time , and one that kept me in the "night" that I learned to remember the Name of the LORD.  I saw that arrogance and self-help mantras were of  no value.  Through this particular problem God had began to break down my self-sufficiency.

I thought that my self-sufficiency was so carefully concealed and hidden everyone.  The night had come into my life by my own doing.  I had created the conditions that  led to the night season.  God, in his wisdom, had used the decisions that I had made to lead me back to Him.  God stepped into my circumstances and showed me a new way to live.

My night taught me that God's way for me can be hidden under the debris of decisions that I have made.  I learned that He gives me beauty for ashes.  If you are dealing with a chronic situation that feels like a long restless and sleepless night then you must remember the Name of God.

In Old Testament theology a name represents intrinsic character, and access to the power inherent in the Name. We have access to the power of God through his Name.  This is prescriptive knowing.  It is a knowing that unlocks the door to eternal power.  "I remember Your Name in the Night"  frees us to find our way through a night season that refuses to release us.

Joseph had a night season when he was abandoned in the well by his brothers.  David had a night season when he dwelt in the cave.  Job had a night season when his friends sought to impose upon him human viewpoint with critical theological dust!

You and I have the Lord of Light who gives songs in the night when we remember his Name.  Blessings to you.

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