“He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him” (Ps. 66:6).
It is a striking assertion, “through the floods” (the place where we might have expected nothing but trembling and terror, anguish and dismay) “there,” says the Psalmist, “did we rejoice in him!”
How many there are who can endorse this as their experience: that “there,” in their very seasons of distress and sadness, they have been enabled, as they never did before, to triumph and rejoice.
How near their God in covenant is brought! How brightly shine His promises! In the day of our prosperity we cannot see the brilliancy of these. Like the sun at noon, hiding out the stars from sight, they are indiscernible; but when night overtakes, the deep, dark night of sorrow, out come these clustering stars–blessed constellations of Bible hope and promise of consolation.
Like Jacob at Jabbok, it is when our earthly sun goes down that the Divine Angel comes forth, and we wrestle with Him and prevail.
It was at night, “in the evening,” Aaron lit the sanctuary lamps. It is in the night of trouble the brightest lamps of the believer are often kindled.
It was in his loneliness and exile John had the glorious vision of his Redeemer. There is many a Patmos still in the world, whose brightest remembrances are those of God’s presence and upholding grace and love in solitude and sadness.
How many pilgrims, still passing through these Red Seas and Jordans of earthly affliction, will be enabled in the retrospect of eternity to say–full of the memories of God’s great goodness–“We went through the flood on foot, there–there, in these dark experiences, with the surging waves on every side, deep calling to deep, Jordan, as when Israel crossed it, in ‘the time of the overflowing’ (flood), yet, ‘there did we rejoice in Him!'” –Dr. Macduff (Streams in the Desert)
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor (door of trouble) for a door of hope: and she shall sing THERE…. (Hosea 2:15).
This is a message that will open the door to a lot of wonderful thoughts, if you study it carefully. Please take your time, consider the context, and ask God to show you hidden treasures that will bring great comfort to your troubled heart. You can rejoice in the Lord “there”, wherever “there” is. It might be at a funeral, during a fuss, after a failure, when we are frail, in financial disaster, or any place else on God’s earth. There is never a time or a place where a child of God cannot rejoice in the Lord. Focus on Him and you will find exactly what you need! –HDS
