Light in the Darkness
31/03/2018 13:43
I felt troubled that day. My health was in disarray and my usual state of joy had jumped out of the window. I couldn’t shake off a feeling of dread and anxiety that lurked inside. I stepped out towards our garden shed when I saw it—a brilliant moon, luminous against a large bank of white cotton clouds. Its glow and radiance called out to me like the kiss of the sun’s rays awakening me at dawn.
I stopped in my tracks. Mesmerised. The moon was in a big hurry. Faster and faster it flew, passing cloud after cloud. Why was it going so fast and what was its destination?
Whenever I spot a crescent moon I enjoy God’s smile on me. If I see a full moon, I find His face of love and light beaming down on me. That evening, I looked up at the sky seeking His face in my hour of need. I prayed Number 6:24-26 over myself: “The Lord bless you and keep you, Nushi. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.”
God’s love fell over me like a warm soft mantle. “The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you Nushi and give you His peace.” God heard me. His perfect peace filled me. I breathed deeply. Thankful. Grateful. Awed by His love. But then … as I looked on, the moon was all at once obscured by clouds. Had it been swallowed up? Fortunately not. A few minutes later, there it was again.
Bright. Bold. Beautiful.
Two thousand years ago, the world was in need.
In need of a Saviour.
And then He came. He gave sight to the blind. He caused the deaf to hear, the lame to leap and the sick to be made whole. No-one who came to him was disappointed. But after the innumerable miracles Jesus performed, after all of the teaching He shared with thousands of followers, after all the love that He lavished on the world, the unthinkable happened. Darkness swallowed up the Light of life. The bright moon was gone. Obliterated. Completely.
The world mourned. Three days of grief before the un-guessable happened. The first disciples who went to the tomb were surprised to find it empty. Where was He? Had someone stolen His body? But wait! Was there another explanation? There was. Jesus appeared to them. Alive. Whole. Well. The Risen Lord. The cross signified not an ending as they had imagined but a brand new beginning. And what a beginning! Jesus rose again from the dead, conquering sin and death. For all time.
The Kingdom of God had arrived.
A few days after my moon episode, I went for a walk in my new neighbourhood. And there it was again. The moon. Full and shining. Glorious. This time there were no clouds to obliterate its brightness. Each time I looked—I saw it shimmering in splendour. Steadfast. Immovable. Perfect. Like the Risen Lord Himself. There are seasons when troubles obscure my view like the clouds hid the moon from my gaze. But Easter reminds us that we have heart-stopping wonderful incredible news. The Lord is Risen. Jesus came to bring us back to God. Through His death, the barrier of sin and death has been broken. Forever.
Today, may you rejoice afresh at the hope of Easter. May His light blaze in your heart as brightly as the sun. Jesus has overcome. The world might seem to be a sad and scary place. But through His victory on the cross, we too are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. He promises those who turn to Him in repentance and trust that we will live with Him forever in glory. What better news than that?
Wishing you and your loved ones a Blessed, Beautiful, Bountiful Easter
celebrating the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that
whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16