Lesson One • Darkness
Devotion #5: Joy Comes with the Morning
Rich Sawicki
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.” Luke 23:44 (NIV)
This verse depicts the darkness that fell over the land during the crucifixion of Jesus. It was a physical manifestation of the spiritual darkness that surrounded the people at that time.
Darkness in the Old Testament referred to God’s judgment. Exodus 10:21-22 (the ninth plague was darkness) records, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.”
As Christians, we understand that the death of Jesus on the cross was a sacrifice for our sins. We also understand that it was a dark and painful moment in history. However, even in the midst of that darkness, there was hope. Psalm 30:5 says, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end of the story. He rose from the dead three days later, proving that He had conquered sin and death. This is the message of hope that we hold onto as Christians.
When my wife and I struggled in our marriage and sought out counseling, we were reminded of a verse in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 that basically says that this too shall pass. We hold onto that Scripture closely to this day.
No matter what darkness we may face in our lives, we can have hope in Jesus. He is our light in the darkness, our hope in times of trouble. When we face difficult circumstances, we can turn to Him and trust that He will guide us through whatever comes our way.
Let us remember the darkness that fell over the land during Jesus’ crucifixion, but let us also hold onto the hope of His resurrection.
May we trust in Him to guide us through the darkness we face in our lives, and may we always remember that He is our light and our salvation. Amen.
John 1:5 gives a beautiful reminder, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”