Why Does the Night Keep Following the Morning?

‘Dumah’ means silence or stillness, something we often long for, or struggle to find. All of us know at times and to varying degrees what it’s like to cry out to the watchman, “When is morning coming and the night ending?” As King David cried; ‘How long oh Lord, will you forget me forever?’ (Psalm 13). How sadly repercussive that our own sinful actions and nature cause us to cry into dark nights, “Lord, when is morning coming?” And so, whether facing the current worldly climate, sickness, uncertainty, trouble or all manner of situations and scenarios, being a child of God does not free us from the bondage of the night’s cry, and the longing for morning.

So, we encourage one another that yes, morning is coming, and we wait with anticipation for that. But, as Isaiah writes, the trouble is morning is coming, but then too is the night. I don’t dare suppose for one moment that I will not cry, suffer or face moments in my future when once more I will ask the watchman, “How much longer till morning?” (even though I have already travelled through so many).

But, one day, the answer will be there for all to see, for the morning will no longer be followed by another night when the master returns in light beyond light, bringing an end to the darkness forever. But, before that, we find the eternal tension of now and not yet. We already have a glorious inheritance, royal robes and a hope which cannot disappoint (Romans 5:5). Yes, Jesus is coming, and yet the Kingdom is already at hand. And it will also come again (Matthew 4:17).

Today, let’s take hold of the faithful One as we face our night, because, however vast the darkness, we do not stand alone. Peter faced dark nights of denial, and yet stood in the victory of Pentecost, the dark of the garden, but then the light of Jesus’ restoration. He also stood on a mountain with Jesus, Elijah and Moses, the old, the new and yet to come. His prophetic words from that occasion hold beautiful strength and truth, ‘We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts’ (2 Peter 1:18-19).

Within us is the risen Christ, the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16), our ever-present help through life’s trouble and the very radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3). Today, whatever we face, as we call to the watchman; “When is the morning coming?”, let us turn in full confidence towards our Saviour. We can know deep within us that that He is faithful, and that, as the morning star rises within our hearts, we will find stillness and quietness. We will be still and know His peace, till all our nights become His glorious days.

Prayer: Father God, I trust You and still my heart before You. Quieten my soul, spirit and my whole being, as I face the day. Lord, whatever this day holds, may I reflect the beauty within me and bring forth the eternal hope I hold into the lives of those around me. Amen.