This picture says it all...

Consuming darkness.

Yet light shines through.

I am holding on to this image right now.  There seems to be an abundance of darkness at this moment. Yet I know the LIGHT is still there, piercing through the darkest of circumstances.  I wish I could comprehend the full meaning of storms.  The real purpose of them.  How they come out of nowhere.  Without warning.  Their fierceness. The power they seem to possess. 

When they come, they feel like they will engulf us forever. Will we ever see light again? Will the warmth and radiance ever be felt again? Seems doubtful...even impossible.

Seems fitting that this image comes to mind right now.  Every year at this time we are reminded of the darkness that surrounded Jesus.

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ~ Mark 15:33-34

Even Jesus, fully God and fully man, was completely overcome with the darkness that engulfed Him...as He cried out to the Father! At that moment, it was all-consuming, overwhelming, seemingly too much to bear. 

And then, standing there in the darkness, the guards stood in amazement as the curtain in the temple that separated God and man, was torn from top to bottom!  At that very moment, their eyes were opened and they realized that He was indeed the very Son of God!

It was finished.

His purpose fulfilled.

He took ALL the darkness of this world, including mine and yours, upon Himself...so that we could have the promise of His light shining through our darkest times...until we are in His presence with that warmth and radiance we have so longed to feel...shining eternally on our face.  Thank you, Jesus.

My heart is literally breaking for families going through tragedy beyond my comprehension.  I pray that God will hold them close, even as they call out to Him, asking why, it appears, He has forsaken them. May they see daily reminders that He is close to the broken hearted and that they would feel His light breaking through their darkness.

Just hang on during this time of darkness, for in 'three days' the promise of new life will be a reality as death will be overcome forever!

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ~Lamentations 3:22-23

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. ~2 Samuel 22:29