three dark days

Have you ever thought about how the disciples must have felt during the three days and three nights when Jesus’ lifeless body was lying in a cold, dark tomb guarded by Roman soldiers? All of their dreams for a better future had been tied to this man and now he was dead…and so were their dreams. All the talk about who would be the greatest in the kingdom seemed silly now. All the miracles that had been performed seemed pointless. All the hope was now hollow. The joy of knowing Jesus had evaporated. Jesus had told them repeatedly that he was going to rise from the dead on the third day, but they never understood it. Perhaps it was because they were so busy denying that he would die in the first place. Regardless, they lived a grim existence devoid of hope for three days and three nights.

Like the disciples, you may find yourself in a place filled with darkness and despair. Maybe it was a conversation with your doctor and the news was not good. Maybe the one person you thought you could trust has thrust the knife of betrayal deep into your back and twisted it for good measure. Maybe your facing a mountain of financial problems so large that it seems an exercise in futility to attempt to scale it. Maybe death has come knocking at your door leaving a house that is all too quiet and left you wondering why you didn't say all the things you wanted to say. Your joy may have vanished like a morning fog that’s been burned away by the midday sun. Depression and anxiety may have descended upon you like a dark, foreboding cloud. Like the disciples, it may seem that any expectation for a brighter tomorrow has melted away and evaporated like an ice cube on the sidewalk on a sweltering summer day.

The good news is that the disciples' story didn't end there. The three days of pain, disillusionment, and confusion that the disciples endured must have seemed like an eternity…but then came Sunday. Jesus came back to life and so did their joy, their hope, and their future. Even when we walk through the valley of despair, hope is still alive because Jesus is alive. No matter what sorrows may befall us in this life, we gain strength knowing that it is only temporary and we are not forsaken. Hold on to Jesus. He will not leave you alone.