Tag: dark

Posted in 2022 Lent Devotions

In the darkness

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Mirror of the Passion” Lent devotion for April 2, 2022. Photo by DerTobiSturmjagd on Pixabay

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. (Luke 23:44-45).

There are many reasons why you might find yourself in the dark.

It might be nighttime. But you’re still awake. Something from your day is still haunting you. You dread what’s coming up tomorrow. Your body feels so tired, but your mind has gotten its second wind.

Perhaps the power is out. There’s no glow from all your digital clocks. Without AC, the room is stuffy. No rays of light sneak in through the blinds from the streetlights. It’s dark.

You’re in the dark. It seems like everyone else knows what’s going on. But no one told you. Did they forget? Or did they purposely leave you out?

It’s different in the dark. It’s harder to drive. You trip over the sleeping dog you didn’t see. No one can see you sitting there. Noises you don’t notice during the day seem so loud in the dark – a snoring dog, the thermostat click, or the ice cube maker.

Even though it’s noon, it’s dark at Golgotha. Is it an eclipse of the sun? Are ominous dark storm clouds blocking the sunlight? We don’t know. Darkness shrouds the passion, threatening the only real light in this world. It casts a powerful shadow over the one who announced, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). What will happen when he breathes his last? What will happen when that light goes out?

Yes, we think about that, too. What will happen when we shut our eyes for the last time? What will happen when they close the lid of our coffin? There is no darker darkness than the darkness of death. For Jesus, it’s just moments away. Maybe for us, too. You never know.

Small LED lights built into wall outlet plates come on when I turn off the lights at night. They safely guide my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They get me past the sleeping dog and into the kitchen for a glass of water.

In much the same way, God declares, “Let there be light” in the pre-creation darkness. His promises guide me safely through the gloomy news of wars, disease, disasters, and death. His words are just like the first glow of morning in the pre-dawn sky. His voice reminds me that the darkness never lasts. The clouds part, the power comes back on, the sun rises, and the son rises.

So I can close my eyes and sleep. When it’s time, I’ll close my eyes in death. And it will be OK. Because when I open them, it will be light again.

Thanks for being in the darkness, Lord.

Posted in 2021 Advent devotions

A dark road

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“The Road to Bethlehem” Advent devotion for December 19, 2021. Photo by Thanos Pal on Unsplash

“Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.”

The road to Bethlehem is dark, but not just because it was night. The unfaithfulness of the people had brought the shadow of God’s judgment on their lives. The darkness of death pursues those who follow the way of sin. Without Christ, every road, every day, and every life is shrouded in darkness.

The prophet Isaiah tells us about the day when all that will change. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2). One day will come when Jesus will say, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

We work very hard to illuminate our world, especially at Christmas. We light up our trees, our homes, and our churches, holding back the darkness that stalks us each night as the sun slips away. For those of us who celebrate the Savior’s birth, these lights reminds us that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Where God is, there will be light!

If a picture you take on your phone seems too dark, you can always adjust the brightness. A couple of finger movements and it’s just like someone turned on the lights. That’s what Jesus comes to do for us. He turns on the lights, just like God did on the first day of creation. Just like he did when he restored sight to a blind man. Just like he did on the mountain of his transfiguration. Just like he does every day when the sun comes up!

Some days just seem gloomy, don’t they? Overcast mornings with rain in the forecast. Those days when we lost someone, even if it happened a long, long time ago. Days when we have to say goodbye to a loved one. That’s when it’s a good idea to pay attention to the prophetic word, which is like “a light shining in a dark place,” reminding us of the light and the life Jesus brings.

Thank you for the light that shines in Bethlehem, in our world and in my heart. Amen.

Posted in Lent devotions

In the dark

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Sunday, March 28, 2021. Photo by Lucy Chian on Unsplash.

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  (Mk 15:33) 

It’s noon, but the sun isn’t beating down on you. I picture ominous clouds and a threatening darkness as three men slowly die by crucifixion on Golgotha. The passersby, chief priest and scribes have all left ahead of the storm, leaving Jesus and two robbers with a few soldiers who carry out the execution.

Dark clouds like that over my house are usually accompanied by alerts on my phone of severe thunderstorms in the area, lightning strikes, tornado warnings and instructions to seek cover. This is not the time to be outside. Golfers end their rounds early, roofers call it a day, surfers head in from the waves, lifeguards whistle everyone out of the pool, and I take the dog for a walk before the rain starts.

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