The Dark Day

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46 ESV). G. Campbell Morgan said the following about the three hours of darkness that enveloped Calvary just prior to Jesus’ death: Much has been written about the three hours of darkness, much of which is not warranted by any careful spiritual attention to the story itself. Many years ago, it was argued that the darkness was that of the sun's eclipse. But that is entirely impossible, for Passover was always held at full moon, when there could be no eclipse of the sun. The darkness has been described as nature's sympathy with the suffering of the Lord, but that is a pagan conception of nature, a conception of nature as having some consciousness apart from God and out of harmony with His work. It has been said that the darkness was brought about by an act of God and was expressive of His sympathy with His Son. I immediately admit that that is an appealing idea and has some element of truth in it, in that we may discover the overruling of His government; but to declare that that darkness was caused by God because of His sympathy with His Son is to deny the cry of Jesus which immediately followed the darkness and referred to it. The darkness was to Him a period when He experienced whatever He may have meant by the words, "Why have you forsaken Me?" Whatever the reason for the darkness, we can be assured that the suffering of Jesus was real and complete in every way. To think of Him being left alone to die in the darkness is very difficult for me to grasp; yet, this is precisely what happened. All of his disciples except John deserted him. His mother wept while he died. It was indeed a dark day. I cannot say that I have ever imagined much less experienced such a day. Of course there have been some days that were filled with trial, pain, or difficulty; but nothing could compare to what Jesus endured. Perhaps more painful is the truth that Jesus did nothing to deserve such pain. He was obedient in every way. In fact, he was perfect in every measure. Yet, on my behalf, he suffered horribly. Can you see this is what we celebrate today? We call it Good Friday; however, without Easter there is nothing good in that day. We do have Easter though. This makes that day, and every dark day we have easier to bear. You may be experiencing such a day today. Will you recognize the great love God has extended to you through Jesus? Will you respond to the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life this moment? It is never too late. You cannot have gone too far while there is yet breath in your body. Trust HIM!