The Darkest Day

The Darkest Day

Sometimes a photograph’s story isn’t about how it was taken, but what it represents. That’s the case for today’s photograph, The Darkest Day.

Today is Good Friday. It’s the day that those of us who follow Jesus remember His death on a cross for the sins of the world, our sins. This photograph reminds me of that.

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to witness the gruesome death of someone you love, someone you thought was going to save you. Jesus had worked miracle after miracle, He had saved so many others, yet there He was, hanging on a cross, dying.

There are several accounts of these events in the Bible. In the book of Luke, chapter 23, verses 44-47 (New Living Translation) we read about Jesus’ final moments…

By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.”

How would those standing there that day have felt? Were they frightened when the saw the sky darkening in the middle of the day? Were there storm clouds like in my photograph or was the sky clear and dark? Did the wind pick up or was it still and calm?

Three hours the people waited in darkness. Three hours of the deepest darkness that reached into souls and made grown men tremble. Jesus, the only human to ever live a perfectly sinless life, took all the sins of every person who had ever – or will ever – live upon Himself and died for them.

Why did He do it? What was the point? He did it out of obedience to God. He did it to save us. Someone has to pay the price for sin. Jesus did it so that we can be free. So that we can have a relationship with God and, if we believe, spend eternity with Him.

That’s why the curtain in the sanctuary of the Jewish Temple was torn down the middle. You see, behind that curtain was the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was a special place where the presence of God was. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year.

When that curtain tore down the middle when Jesus died, it meant something powerful. It meant that from that moment on, anyone can have a deeply personal relationship with Jesus. Anyone can talk to Him, any time they want.

God’s presence no longer dwells inside the Holy of Holies. Now, if we have a relationship with Him, He lives in us. We have access to Him 24/7. He will never leave us or forsake us.

Good Friday is good indeed. Yes, it was the darkest day, the day humanity killed their Savior, but Jesus didn’t say dead. Easter is coming and we will soon celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus lives! He overcame sin and death to have a relationship with us. It’s incredible!

Do you know Him? Can you, along with the Roman soldier, worship God and say, “Surely this man was innocent.”?

And that, my friends, is the story of The Darkest Day. Click to Tweet!

Until we meet again,

Josie