1 April | Youth
«From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.» Matthew 27:45, NIV
Even if you are not afraid of the dark, it is unlikely that you like the darkness. Unlike bats, owls and other nocturnal animals, our eyes and nervous systems are not adapted to the night. Therefore, most traffic accidents occur at night or during the early hours of the morning, when, interestingly, there are fewer vehicles in circulation. Surprising, is it not? We live with darkness, but we are not typical creatures of the night. Still, there are times when we long for the shadows. I will exemplify.
It was cold when I got up one morning in February to go to work. The sun had not yet risen. I drove the whole way complaining about the rain, the clouds and the darkness. Days later, on that same road, I asked God for sun again. I (Júlio) just did not expect it to happen like that. For more than half an hour, the light from the rising sun blinded me so much that I could barely see the road. At one point while I was driving, I could not see an intersection right in front of me. Out of nowhere, a pickup truck crossed a few meters in front of me. We almost hit each other. To this day I wonder why that driver crossed, given that, where he was, he had all the visibility that I lacked.
The problem is not the excess or lack of light, but the level of visibility. Seeing makes all the difference when decisions need to be made. Some people make bad decisions because they lack light. Others, because they do not know how to use the light they have. Faced with the cross, however, everyone needs to make up their mind. On the day Jesus died, there was darkness and there was light. The day got dark. Nature gave the signal. That death, on such a dark day, contrasted with the light of life offered to humanity through the promised Messiah.
The darkness that enveloped the cross symbolizes the price paid by Christ so that you and I may one day be welcomed into the city of eternal light. That dreary day on Calvary is also the brightest day in history for all those who receive Jesus as their personal Savior. It is He who guarantees that, very soon, your dark days and sleepless nights will pass, and you will rejoice in His company forever. Make plans for this dawn. Your days will never be the same. Your happiness will never end.