Between Midnight and Daybreak

Somewhere between midnight and daybreak God answers prayers.  Midnight is the transition period between the night and the day.  It is a period of intense darkness and gloom.  It is not just the period when the lights are about to be cut off. It is the time where the house is about to go into foreclosure.  It is not just the period where you lost your job.  It is the period where because of your financial difficulties your husband has left you.  It is not the period where you have been admitted to the hospital for a minor procedure.  It is the period where during the procedure, something goes terribly wrong and your loved one doesn't come out alive.  I am talking about the darkest hour. It is that hour when you cry out to the Lord and tell Him that you just can't take it anymore!  Your life has become a series of one step forward and two steps back.  If you let your thoughts have their way in your mind you would rather just give up.  Absolutely nothing is going as you had planned.  You feel discouraged. Many people depend on you, your family and friends.  You are the strong one of the bunch. Everybody comes to you when you are in need.  Here you are a prisoner in a jail of disappointment and discouragement.  Midnight sounds like a mighty fine time to cry out to the Lord in prayer.  After all. things happen when you pray.

Let's take a look at Acts 16:25-26.  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.   I am so glad that God is not bound by time.  This simply means that He can answer my prayer at any time of the day or night.  No matter how dark the night, God is there.  I am so glad that God isn't bound by geography.  This means that no matter what my location he is able to change things in my situation.  He answers the prayers of those bound by chains or free.  These two statements were two very important factors for Paul and Silas at this moment.  There they were locked up in prison, mainly for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  Because of their commitment to God and their belief in His power, even in the jail cell they were still praying and singing praises to the Most High.  Now this is a pretty big phenomenon to me.  I know that when I am experiencing my darkest hour you are probably not going to find me praising God. You might find me praying but probably not praising Him.  In fact, you will probably find me wallowing in my own self pity.  Woe is me! Woe is me!  It would be great if during this time you could find me at my highest during my journey of trust, pulling from my experiences and God's faithfulness from times past to help me to make it through this incredibly dark time.  But it's so dark God.  I can't see my way out.  And praise be to God, I don't have to.  That is why we have the awesome privilege of prayer. I call it a privilege because God did not have to afford us this opportunity...a way for us to be in constant communication with Him.  A way for us to 'cast all your cares on Him, because He careth for you'.  (I Peter 5:7)  I can only imagine what their prayers sounded  like.  I imagine that they prayed for deliverance.  This deliverance would come in God's time and in His way.  I imagine  that they also prayed for support to make it through their current affliction.  They had learned by now that God's deliverance would come when the time was right, not necessarily when their load felt the heaviest.  I can also imagine that they prayed for those around them who might have been the very cause of their affliction.  WOW!  Locked up and in jail but praying for the very men who put them there. 'Pray for them that despitefully use you'.  (Matthew 5:44)  That takes a pretty strong faith and belief in a God who is sovereign.  Not only did they pray, but they sang praises also.  There were sure that they would come out alright so they praised God in advance.  What a wonderful testimony for those that were in jail with them! Nothing but darkness all around them and yet they had tapped into The Source for light.  

So what happens after prayer and praise, a ground breaking transformation in which your chains are loosened and the prison doors come open.  What does this mean for you?  It means that through prayer you can take your heaviest burden and leave it at the alter.  The lightening of that load is symbolic to you being free from the prison created by your own disbelief in the power of God.  'Oh what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pains we bear.  All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer'.    The lesson for today...Stop hanging on to unnecessary weight and turn it over to Jesus.  Midnight doesn't last always. It is a transition period between darkness and a new day.  Paul and Silas's location did not change, however a major transformation occurred in their mind and spirit.  Through prayer and praise they were refreshed and renewed.  God would deliver them and He will deliver you too.  It doesn't matter what your midnight looks  like right now, God is able.  Remember this....the darkest hour is just before the dawn. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to You today because I know You to be a Deliverer.  There is no problem to big for you to handle.  I believe that You are able to take my situation and turn it around for my good.  My load right now is too heavy and I acknowledge that I cannot handle it all by myself.  I am giving it all to You.  Help me to leave it in Your capable hands.  In the past I have had the habit of picking it back up, but no more.  I am giving it to You and trusting You to do what is best for me.  Thank You Father. In the Most Wonderful Name of Jesus I pray Amen.