Christian Reflection and Prayer

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has
come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with
you to keep you from sinning.”
The people remained at a distance, while Moses
approached the thick darkness where God was. —
Exodus 20:20–21

What is our reaction to all this darkness? How do we react
to the fear, the confusion, the sheer terror of not knowing
how things are going to turn out? Do we keep our distance
from God? Or do we get closer to Him?

Many people are tempted to keep their distance. Going
through dark periods can make us feel abandoned or
rejected by God. But Moses teaches us an amazing lesson
in these verses — God is in the darkness! Dark times are
not the time to turn away from God – they are precisely the
moment to draw closer to Him.

In Psalm 91:15, God said, “I will be with him in trouble.”
God is with us in our most troubling times. It’s up to us to
grab hold of Him and let Him carry us through.

When God created the world, first there was darkness and
then there was light. First there was night, and then there
was day. If you find yourself in a dark period right now, don’t
be afraid. Do as Moses did and keep walking forward in faith.
If you persevere, in that dark place is precisely where you will
find God – and then there will be light.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein