At 5 AM I can hear the birds in the trees but I cannot see them–it is still dark. I can’t deny their presence for their voices sing out loudly as if they will awaken the sun. The creatures of the night have settled into their holes and the night becomes day once again.

There was a quiet period of about 400 years in the Bible when people didn’t hear from God. It was between the Old Testament and the New. I think of how that time period can be likened to the 4 AM hour–the quiet between the howl of the wolf and the crow of the rooster. The Son was coming and he was bringing the Light of a new day. As the world begins to respond to His presence the sounds of the day get louder and the damp smells of the night air become fresh as the flower petals open and share their scent with those passing by.

Today, anyone who says the Lord does not speak is simply not listening well enough or they are in the midst of a training course for strengthening the trust muscle through patience. If you’re on the course you will feel the burn as your muscle is stretched, pulled, and tested. It’s preparation for the war that every one of us has been drafted into. We don’t get to opt out as though it has nothing to do with us–it has everything to do with us and His great love for us.

If today you find yourself stuck in the 4 AM boot camp of silence, remember the promise of God: “I will never fail you or abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) His promise is for you, in your life, today. Listen. Do you hear the rooster, the wolf, or silence? No matter what it is, Father is there with his eyes upon you and his arms around you. Walk in the peace of that assurance.