The Heart Sings in Darkness

Remember My Song in the Night

"I call to remembrance my song in the night" (Psalm 77:6).

I have read somewhere of a little bird that will never sing the melody his master wishes while his cage is full of light. He learns a snatch of this, a bar of that, but never an entire song of its own until the cage is covered and the morning beams shut out.

A good many people never learn to sing until the darkling shadows fall. The fabled nightingale carols with his breast against a thorn. It was in the night that the song of the angels was heard. It was at midnight that the cry came, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."

Indeed it is extremely doubtful if a soul can really know the love of God in its richness and in its comforting, satisfying completeness until the skies are black and lowering.

Light comes out of darkness, morning out of the womb of the night.

James Creelman, in one of his letters, describes his trip through the Balkan States in search of Natalie, the exiled Queen of Serbia.

"In that memorable journey," he says, "I learned for the first time that the world's supply of attar of roses comes from the Balkan Mountains. And the thing that interested me most," he goes on, "is that the roses must be gathered in the darkest hours. The pickers start out at one o'clock and finish picking them at two.

"At first it seemed to me a relic of superstition; but I investigated the picturesque mystery, and learned that actual scientific tests had proven that fully forty per cent of the fragrance of roses disappeared in the light of day."

And in human life and human culture that is not a playful, fanciful conceit; it is a real veritable fact.  -Malcolm J. McLeod

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I am not sure if you can relate, but I have encountered a darkness so thick that I could reach out and touch. It was so thick that I could feel it move up against my face as I moved. I've been in that place where those I loved the most were the ones that caused me the most pain. I have been in that place where I look for a friend to to turn to, but there was not a friend to be found.

Yet, in the darkness there was the most tenderest of truths revealed. The heart sings sweet melodies of praise in the darkness. It seems that in the darkness, the soul yearns joy, but it is not readily available, but the heart, against nature, begins to sing. This singing of the heart defies human logic because it is not the natural propensity of the human to sing his song of joy in the heart of despair. It is not the nature of man to muster joy from defeat, but yet, the heart sings. It is the natural leaning of man to complain in the midst of the storm, but yet, the heart sings.

What is this madness that takes over the moment. Where does the heart learn to move against nature and find joy in pain? What is it about the heart that allows it to disagree with volatile circumstances and see peace and tranquility. I have come to find out that the heart simply knows. It knows that no weapon formed against it will prosper. The heart knows; it knows that weeping may endure for night, but joy will come in the morning. The heart knows: the heart knows that God has plans of good and not of evil, plans to prosper us and give us a future and a hope. Yes, the heart knows.

Dr. Rick Wallace

The heart knows; it knows that God inhabits the praises of His people. Yes, the heart knows.

This is why the faith warrior can embrace the darkness; because he knows that the darkness does not quench his light, but it is the opportunity for his light to shine brighter. The phosphorescent light of the Christian shines brightest in the fierce winds of adversity. The heart of the believer dances in the darkness and sings songs of praise because it knows.

I invite you to dance in the darkness as your heart sings. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace