Gilead, Darkness and Miracles

"In all that deep darkness, a miracle was preparing".

That is a line from Gilead, a novel by Marilynne Robinson. The context is that the narrator is discussing a long time when he was single. As a pastor in a small town, he was seen as quite a catch, so many daughters and nieces were presented to him. But, no one caught his eye. This caused him to feel sad and lonely.

In every life we go through periods of deep darkness. Its almost like our time in the womb prepares us for similar times of murky shadow times. It might be helpful to consider that when we find ourselves in those times that a miracle is in fact being prepared.

For the character in Gilead, the miracle was the woman who would become his wife. The woman tells him "You ought to marry me." The effect was so tremendous that his response was:

"That was the first time in my life I ever knew what it was to love another human being."

Darkness is ok. Shadow seasons need not frighten us. Because darkness, sadness and deprivation are often fused into a powerful alloy out of which the miracle is birthed.

God created light out of darkness.
YOU first existed in darkness (the womb) before emerging out into the blinding hospital lights.
And you were a miracle to those first people who heard you cry.
But the miracle came out of darkness.

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