When I was meeting with some friends, we shared memories about our trip years ago to the countryside where we spent the night at a farm. Deep at night when it was very dark, it got a little scary to stand outside the house. But as we looked up, we saw that the night sky was dotted with bright little stars. They were all across the sky from one end to the other, surrounding us. What a magnificent sight. The uneasiness of being in the darkness instantly became a sense of delight.

       In the beginning, God separated the light, the sky, the dry ground and the waters. He named everything and set boundaries. God has sovereignty over the time, space and matter that He creates.

      “God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night” … God called the vault “sky”… God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”” (Genesis 1:5-10)

       Even “darkness” was regulated by the light that God created. And God called “darkness” “night.” Upon naming, the scary, endless darkness turned into the night in which people can sleep in peace.

       Today, if we are going through “darkness” in our lives, please remember that God can turn “darkness” into “night.” What, then, would you be afraid of?

       Upon leaving Egypt and before reaching the Red Sea, the Israelites were pursued by an entire army of Egyptian horsemen and chariots. The Bible says: “The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long” (Exodus 14:19-20).

       God brought the pillar of cloud and the darkness to separate the scared and anxious Israelites from the Egyptians. God also brought the Israelites light to protect them.

       A small village in the African country of Kenya is situated just outside a national park which is also a wildlife reserve. The villagers were cattle farmers. But there was no fence between the reserve and the village. The protected wild lions from the reserve would enter the village at night to devour the cattle. Some villagers have shot the invading lions due to their loss.

      An eight-year-old shepherd boy came to be aware that the lions would not approach the shed if they see some moving, flickering lights. So he and his family took turns to guard the shed with a torch. That was not a good idea because it would keep the family up throughout the night. The shepherd boy had another idea. He put together some old cables, a couple of electrical parts and a small light bulb and invented a small device with flickering light that could be put inside the shed. Seen from a distance, that would look like someone moving about with a torch.

     The lions were kept off. There seems to be an unseen fence between the village and the reserve. That gave villagers good sleep as their cattle were protected. The lions in turn were also protected from gunshots. The villagers, the cattle and the lions were at peace due to the boundaries.

     Today, we are convicted that “darkness” cannot stop the mighty hand of God. God will continue to guide us through life with His light.