The Night Watch

Psalm 134:1-3, “Behold, bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!”
The setting sun reminds us of the day that was. As it descends below the horizon, we hold onto the memories of the day, and we cling to the warmth of the sun shining on our faces. The sun is setting, and night is coming. Nothing of this world can hold off the night, for the night has been foretold, the Son of God reminding us that the day, the sun, the merriment, the ease, the comfort, the excesses, the lightheartedness of it all are not permanent, that all the things not rooted in the Word, that all that is not hidden with Christ in God, will come crashing to the ground like so much hail in an autumn storm.
It is always easier to labor during the day than it is during the night. Daytime in the house of the Lord is always pleasant; it is always full of light, of joy, of singing, of praise, of listeners and visitors, of barbeques out in the parking lot, of missions trips and church expansions. Speak of the coming night during the day, and most will dismiss you, rolling their eyes thinking you a nuisance or a pest. Encourage them to prepare spiritually for the season when the light will not be so abundant, when the joy will not be so overwhelming, when the songs will not be so exuberant, when the worshippers will dwindle, when the visitors will cease to exist, and the lukewarm will flee seeking a refuge they can never find, and they will think you mad, a pessimist, one who refuses to make lemonade and simply bites into the lemons.
It is inevitable that with the onset of the night, the number of those still standing in the house of the Lord will dwindle. It is inevitable that with the onset of the night, the faith of those that remain standing will be tried, their convictions and confidence put to the test. The task of holding fast becomes more difficult with the onset of the night, and the dangers, the threats, and the temptations grow not only in frequency but also in strength.
Keeping the perpetual fire burning on the altar and not letting it go out becomes an arduous task when the night descends, because those that remain standing in the house of the Lord must stand in the gap, and not only perform their assigned tasks, but take up the slack and perform the tasks of those who have fled. They must do alone, what was done not only by a larger number of laborers, but also in far easier conditions.
When seasons of trial come upon the Church and the work of Christ, when the night comes upon the house of God, when the number of those who by night stand in the sanctuary of the Lord and bless Him decreases with each passing day, and the responsibility of those who remain increases, it is inevitable that those who continue to stand become all the more precious in the sight of God.
The sifting has begun, and the exodus of those who stood in the house of the Lord simply in the hope of receiving material blessing from Him is soon to commence within the churches of America. Yes, the exodus is almost upon us, for the sounds of laughter and jubilation have ceased from within the walls of manmade temples, only to be replaced with the sounds of weeping and lamentation.
More than ever before those who have been called and commissioned to be on the night watch, those who continue to by night stand in the house of the Lord, must be awake and refreshed in the knowledge that with great tribulation comes great power, with great adversity comes great intimacy. Be strengthened, knowing that He who sees all things, He who knows all things will rightly reward those who overcome, those who in times of great upheaval stand on the Rock, unshaken and fearless.
It will be necessary for those that remain standing to do more and not less. Lift up your hands all the more, bless the Lord all the more, pray all the more, grow all the more, fight all the more, and do not cease doing these things until the night passes and the rising sun warms our faces once more.
We must in these dark hours be faithful in that which we have been entrusted with, doing our utmost to keep the fire burning in our hearts, to focus our gaze upon the Christ and the cross and not be swayed. We must calm and quiet our souls, and return to the simplicity of intimacy with Christ, to rebuild that which we have neglected for far too long, and submit to His authority and His will.
Psalm 131:1-2, “Lord my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

P.S. I did not post some of your comments, because they had your addresses. Please take no offense, I just wanted to keep my word and not post your personal information.
As far as getting a dog, I'm on the road far too often, plus there is a no pets clause in the rental agreement in regards to the apartment I'm living in. It's not about the dog anyway, some of you I think got that.