Thought For Today - June 17 - Why Sit In Darkness ?

Thought For Today - June 17
Why sit in darkness?

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most high: Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters: these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depth, their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stager like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them to their desired haven." Psalm 107:8-30
If we are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron, then, we are not in God's perfect will. It is not the will of God for his redeemed to sit in darkness, and to be fearful of living and dying, and being shackled, as it were, in irons by our problems. Christ died and rose again to set us free from our captivity in darkness, and the fear of death, and he took all the bars away. So, why does the child of God still sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and continue to be shackled by worry and cares? The answer is because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most high. When we neglect God, when we fail to seek God and to pray, when we do not attend to the word of God and obey it, then we find ourselves sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, and bound in affliction. But, when we seek the Lord and draw close to him, then he draws close to us and delivers us out of darkness and the shadow of death, and breaks the bonds which hold us captive.

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