A word in the night – Paul at Corinth

Uncertainties are magnified

Helplessness wraps me
Doubts obsess me
Fear holds me tight

A word in the night!

It was a long walk to Corinth

And the doubts about Athens
Dogged my footsteps
As I traveled alone!
The indifference of the Athenians
Has become opposition from my people
And I turn aside from my accustomed place
To meet in the gentile house next door.

But I gained two friends –

A couple who share my trade
And we talk into the night.

Silas and Timothy come

And with them sufficient
To preach without tent making
To devote myself to the gospel
And work well into the night.

Who knows the focus of my fears?

Who will understand my doubts?
How can I keep on speaking for –

Uncertainties are magnified

Helplessness wraps me
Doubts obsess me
Fear holds me tight

My Lord knows!
He knows the treasures of the darkness
The shadows of my uncertainty;
He has been in the dark Himself!

And when He speaks – a word in the night

I am reminded of my mission;
For I have heard Him darkly before,
And saw a man from Macedonia –
And went. . .
But that was then and this is night again
And I am full of fear and self-doubt,
Uncertain of my mission even when
I wake at night in the place of His sending.

Uncertainties are magnified

Helplessness wraps me
Doubts obsess me
Fear holds me tight

A word in the night –

His word
His promise
His assurance
His purpose

And for all the uncertainties He offers His knowledge;

For all my helplessness His task repeated;
For all my doubts – His purpose – and His people;
For all my fears – His “fear not!”

And I wake in the night

In the calm of that presence
With His words in my ears –
His Spirit in my heart
His will to be done!

A word in the night!

Based on Acts 18 – especially verses 9-11 D. A. Green 5 June 2010