2010 – May 4 – In Praise of “Night Workers”

Study from God’s Word… Psalms 122, 124, 133, 134, 135, 136, and 138 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 134: 1 – 2 … NIV 1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.

My Journal for Today: Who are the “Night Workers” mentioned by F. LaGard Smith in his devotional for today, taken from Psalm 134: 1 – 2? And I agree with Dr. Smith that the first picture of those who come to mind are the people who work the “night shifts” in various businesses, cities, hospitals, etc. And these are the ones, who, while most of us sleep, care for us, clean up after us, maintain our cities, provide for us, bringing food to the markets and transporting our goods, as well as healing us when emergencies occur. In a sense they work quietly, and so often effectively, behind the scenes and below the surface of life so that those of us who work when the sun rises can have what we need and experience a better life because of the “night workers.” Praise the Lord for the “night workers” of life.

And that is exactly what the Psalmist of the 134th Psalm was doing, praising God for the night workers of David’s Day, who would’ve likely been the Priests, the Levites, who were charged with maintaining God’s Temple and carrying out the duties that the rest of the Tribes of Israel relied upon, those night duties having been given to the Levites by God’s designation.

There are many things which are carried on in our churches behind the scenes, … maybe not at night; but they are duties and disciplines which are seldom noticed; and, unfortunately they are actions for which few are credited by the limelight. The Pastor preaches on Sunday; but those people working back there in the sound booth allow God’s word to be heard by the masses. People file into a neat and clean sanctuary each Sunday, cleaned the night before by night workers preparing the scene for a spotless place of worship for the rest of us. When I go into my designated room to teach Sunday School on each Sabbath, someone has set up the chairs the night before in just the right configuration for the class which I teach; and I probably don’t even notice that they’ve gotten it just right for me and the class. All of these things, and many more, are duties and activities which are carried out “in the night of life” so that we, in the day, can live life protected, prepared, provided for, maintained, and yes, even healed, if necessary.

Today, join me in praising God for the “night workers,” whom God has provided so that those of us “day workers” can do what we do with more effectiveness and power; … and so that all of us can do these things for God’s glory. And the next time you (or I) see one of those night shifters, give them a hug … or at least some thanks – thanks which they so richly deserve for being one of God’s “night workers,” serving our Lord in the night time of life.

My Prayer for Today: Oh, my Lord, I thank you for those who come behind me or with me in the night time of life, serving You quietly and powerfully; … so that You will get all the glory. Amen