[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during November 2025]
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark
John 20 v1 [NIVUK]
Have you ever noticed how often God works in the dark? We live in a non-stop world with cities that never sleep, with systems operational 24-7 and with people constantly on the move. Yet it all began in the dark.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1 v2 [NIVUK]
The idea of God working in the dark also extends to his working out of sight. He is achieving his objectives in a way that we often cannot see, at least not immediately. He works in the darkness of our hearts, he is there in the deadly shadows[1] and is close at hand when darkness threatens to overwhelm us.
John’s gospel gives us an account of one occasion when the disciples needed help in the dark:
… they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.
John 6 v17-18 [NIVUK]
The account tells us of how Jesus drew near in their hour of need and how he was able to help Peter is his particular distress.
The words of a hymn that was popular with previous generations come to mind:
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night the Lord passed through
Ere he found his sheep that was lost.[2]
Of course, the climax of God’s work in the dark took place at Calvary. The apostle Mark sets the scene:
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
Mark 15 v33 [BSB]
Human eyes were not permitted to observe what happened during that period but later Paul summarised its outcome:
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5 v21 [NLT]
♰
Let us return to the verse with which we began
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
John 20 v1 [NIVUK]
Whilst the world was slumbering, Mary was awake and seeking her Lord. For us, Sunday morning often offers the opportunity for a lie-in but surely Mary’s devotion should be an example to us all.
References:
[1] Psalm 23:4
[2] ‘There Were Ninety and Nine’, Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane, 1868
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Last week’s reflection: Is Judgement Justified?
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys