Conversations with God

Hello God, it’s me, Mara:

You know, Lord, some time ago, Ivan Doig wrote: “These strange beings, ourselves, need the night but sometimes are entirely at odds with it.”

We could ‘name’ a few of us who may also have times when we are at odds with the night, so to expand on that thought, did You, Lord, want our attention? Is there a matter that we need to bring to You? Did we forget to pray for another, or are You trying to get our attention so You can talk with us?

It seems there is a trough in the dark (as well as in the bed!) as one wallows, trying to coax sleep. We try breathing deeply to consume the blackness and to persuade sleep, which usually fails. The mere act of ‘thinking’ seems only to add fuel to our sleeplessness.

Sometimes we just feel lonely, Lord, especially in the middle of the black night. As we are laying there in the dark, every thought crossing our minds simply seems so very hopeless. It is a terrible feeling. We lie there all alone. We wonder, “What is life all about?” “Why are we here?” “Does anyone really care?” So, we lie there and stare into the dark and doing so, we feel so all alone.

Could we be like Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s friend, banging on the door on a lonely dark night wanting some comfort food, like some “night cookies,” or simply wanting someone to care?

Your comfort exceeds even “night cookies,” Lord, for You declare in Your word in Matthew 28:20, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

And again, in Hebrews 13:5 we read, “...for He hath said I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” Now that should be cause for rejoicing, ‘night cookies’ or not.

Love, Mara