We were coming in off the lake, my sons and I, after a couple of hours of "worm dangling". That’s fishing - without any catching! The sun had already set, leaving a rich burgundy glow on the horizon behind us and a shore line silhouetted in mystery ahead.

Looking up at the sky, caught in transition between dusk and dark, Chris observed that there were no stars to be seen. His big brother Steve responded offhandedly, "It’s not dark enough to see the stars". And of course he was right, for by the time our boat was docked and the gear unloaded, the canvas overhead had deepened and was lavishly punctuated with heavenly lights.

That little incident came back to me recently when I was reading an article by a writer who had been through a long siege of illness. For many months he had continued to worsen both physically and mentally. When his condition finally worsened to the critical point - when his illness reached its absolute depths, when he was totally helpless - he turned to the Heavenly Father and placed his burden in His loving care. It was not until the very extremity that he relinquished his problem - and recovery began.

Sometimes it seems that things have to get a little darker before we can see the stars.

Lord, give us patience to wait, knowing full well that in due time Your Light will shine upon us.
-Fred Bauer