“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”
Isaiah‬ ‭45:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

‬‬As we began our staff devotion, I felt like God had turned on a flashlight next to my ear and highlighted the Scripture yet again. I started in shock. As my co-worker read aloud the words from the devotional, my eyes followed along the page. My mouth dropped open. This was the third time in a week that Isaiah 45:3 was the subject of something I was reading. I had been vaguely aware when I read it in a second source, but this was the third time! God had my attention. 

One of the ways that I know God is speaking to me is when the same idea or Scripture shows up in different places in a short period of time. This time it was undeniable. Three unrelated sources. The same Scripture. “Okay, Lord. I will take time to sit with that Scripture in Your presence. I will make it my meditation and see what it is that You want me to take away from it.” 

Treasures hidden in darkness. Hidden. Let’s think about that one word. Anything that is hidden is not readily visible. You have to look hard to find it. You might even need help. Like a treasure map. One of the things I love about the movie National Treasure is that Ben Gates is passionate to find the hidden thing, the thing no one else believes is there. It’s not that others don’t believe the treasure has value, they just don’t believe it exists or that it is unfindable. Ben Gates keeps his purpose firm and focused on finding the treasure, but he can’t do it without the clues and he knows it. He is always on the lookout for the next clue. The clues point him in the right direction. Each clue takes him closer to the treasure. It is a process of discovery. Discovery. That’s really what I love about it.

Ben Gates’ hunt for National Treasure is so much like our life of faith. We are treasure hunters. When we keep our eyes open, we see the clues that God highlights for us. We find Him in the darkness and then He reveals the treasures we wouldn’t have been able to see. The reason God reveals the treasure? So that we will recognize that He is the One who calls us by name. When God shows us things we couldn’t have found on our own, the secret treasures hidden in dark places, we don’t just see the treasure. We see Him, the ultimate treasure. We recognize His presence in our lives, even in these dark times. Like the toddler playing peekaboo with Daddy, I am filled with delight when I discover Him and He pulls me close, whispering my name and reminding me that He has been close by all along. I’ll bet you’ve had those moments as well. 

What treasures have I discovered in darkness as God has revealed them, stashed away in secret? 

He is good. During a particularly dark time, when a loved one was struggling and there was nothing I could do to help them out of it, there was one truth that reverberated in my mind: “You are good and your mercy is forever.” (...)  It seemed that every song at church every Sunday pointed back to that truth. Those words and tunes echoed in my mind throughout the weeks. You are good, and your mercy is forever. The realization of God’s goodness steadied me in the darkness. His goodness became a guide that kept me on the path. I couldn’t see ahead. I didnt know how my trial would end. All I knew was that He is good and His goodness would work on my behalf and on behalf of my loved one. 

He is faithful. To say that God’s is faithful means that He can be depended on, no matter what. During the dark times, lonely times, frightening times when the future is so uncertain, I have learned that I can depend on God to come through. I am not always sure how He will come through. I have stopped telling Him what I want Him to do and expecting Him to do it my way. Oh, I express my request, but God’s faithfulness means that even if He doesn’t do it my way, and He usually doesn’t, He will move on my behalf. The darkness may not end, but He will send light into the tunnel, a person to walk with me, a marker along the way that indicates there will be an end. 

What does it mean to me that God is faithful? He will always act for my good. Always. Without fail. He has carried me through the dark in the past. He has led me through to the other side. Every trial has ended, even if not as quickly or neatly as I had hoped. I can count on Him that, whatever trial I face, He will carry me. 

He is satisfying. Do you ever have long talks with God while you are driving? Well, I do. I remember having an internal conversation with God in the midst of a long drive. I can’t tell you exactly where I was or what my final destination was supposed to be, but I have a clear image in my mind of a moment of revelation. 

I was on the highway just looking up at a green directional sign along the side of the road when I found myself saying to God, “Following You isn’t easy, but it is satisfying.” The thought exploded inside of me. I had never articulated it that way before, but the truth of those words filled me and have never left. It isn’t easy to follow Jesus. There are always, always, questions. Always, always, things that I don’t understand. There are things that I know I have to do that the people in my life won’t understand. There are people I know I need to love that are unloveable without divine empowerment. At times it takes all my focus and energy just to keep going. But through all of it I have experienced the satisfying, comforting, fulfilling presence of God in unexplainable ways. 

As I have recognized and discovered the treasures hidden in darkness, stashed away in secret places,  I have come to know the Lord in ways that would not have been possible without the dark. Although I would not have chosen to walk in those dark tunnels, I wouldn’t trade the joy of discovery for anything. 

What I want you to know, my friend, is that the journey is worth it. Don’t give up. Keep your eyes open during this dark time and be ready for God to reveal treasure to you. He really will do it. 

Be blessed, my friend. 

Key thought: In your darkest times God wants to show you His treasures. 

A Scripture to consider: “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am the LORD, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭45:3‬ ‭NET

A YES Challenge: Think about a past time of darkness that you have walked through. What was one treasure you learned about God during that time? How might that apply to your current trial? What new treasure might God be showing you?

Prayer: Father, with everything in me I want to avoid the pain of now. Yet, I realize that I can’t. I accept this time of darkness as a gift from You. Show me the treasures You have hidden for me, the riches stored in secret places. Help me to know You better through this. Help me to run to You calling me in the dark. Amen.