A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"No Longer in the Dark"

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark… (John 20:1) While it was still dark is a powerfully descriptive phrase. It can easily be dismissed as a description of the predawn hours in which Mary Magdalene was making her way to Jesus’ tomb. But it is far more. This is a darkness of the soul, mind and heart! It is the darkness of chaos, confusion, hopelessness, and despair.

With this phrase John reaches back to the Genesis when darkness covered the face of the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep… (Genesis 1:2)  God brought light, form, cosmos, and life. But darkness, chaos came again in the fall. Humanity is in darkness, formless, empty and hopeless. God did not forsake but gracious intervened sending light – In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:4-5) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but the world loves darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. (John 3:19)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark… It was a dark day for Mary. It was a dark day for humanity. We crucified the Light! We crucified Love! We crucified Hope! We crucified Jesus! Seemly on this first day of the week we are left to gropingly make our way in the darkness.

WAIT! The story does not end here just like the story didn’t end with the darkness covering the earth on that First Day. God has not forsaken or abandoned us. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw the stone had been moved from the entrance. The light had not yet dawned in Mary for she assumed someone had stolen the body. But she will soon learn, soon see the Light for the Risen One comes to her. Mary He quietly calls! (John 20:16) It is then the Light dawns. The darkness can not overcome the Light. Crucifixion did not extinguish the Light! Crucifixion did not kill Love! Crucifixion did not crush hope! Jesus lives! We no longer had to live grouping in the darkness. God is light. In Him there is no darkness at all. The Light continues to shine into the darkness. We can walk in the light as He is in the light having fellowship with one another having the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifying us from all sin [darkness]” (1 John 1:5, 7)

Darkness does not have the final word – God did in Christ! Confusion, chaos, hopelessness, despair flee when we walk in the Light. As in creation, His Spirit comes in creative power making us new. Jesus is our Light, our Hope, our Purpose, our Life… Yet to all who receive Him, to those that believe in His Name, he gave the right to become the children of God – born not of natural decent, not of human decision or a husband will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13) How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be the children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Beloved let us walk in the Light as He is in the Light allowing His light to shine through us into the darkness around us. Let us let people in the darkness know that this could be their first day of living in the Light rather than in the darkness. He is risen and because He lives we live! Hallelujah!

Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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