From Darkness to Dawn

My family has a dog named Pippin—a heeler-beagle mix. He’s a great dog, built for running. He used to go many miles with me, even half-marathon distances more than once. But he’s getting older now, so we mostly just go for walks.

Pippin

I usually get up about the time my husband is getting ready for work. That’s when Pippin and I head out. It’s often still dark when we leave, especially in winter. As we walk and the sun begins to rise on a new day, I look toward the Superstition Mountains. I watch the first rays of light appear, and I thank God for the beauty of our world. Isn’t it awesome that God starts each new day for us in such a beautiful way?

Superstition Mountains

Sunrises can remind us that life goes on. The new day holds new adventures and new challenges, but it also holds new mercies, new blessings, and another opportunity to see God’s promises and faithfulness.

The sunrise is what pushes the darkness away. Darkness cannot hide from the light, and light puts limits on the darkness. The sun reveals everything that the darkness was hiding. If you’ve ever camped in the desert, you know things hide in the dark. It makes you pause before stepping out too early. But when the sun comes up, it reveals all the dangers—like those cactuses we don’t want to step near, or the rough ground. Suddenly, everything becomes safer because we have a better idea of what to expect with each step. What was once scary and dangerous becomes majestic and beautiful.

Some nights can feel endless. You wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. You’re wide awake with hours left before your alarm. Or you’re sitting up with a sick child or friend. Time crawls, and the night seems long and dark. You wonder if the darkness will ever break.

There’s also the darkness of the world we live in—relationship challenges, betrayals by people we thought were friends, health problems, the death of loved ones, and situations that feel like there’s no way out. And then there’s the darkness we see every day on the news or just going about our lives: wars, division, disease, poverty, natural disasters, and not even feeling safe going to school or the grocery store. The world can feel very dark, and we don’t know what tomorrow holds.

But the good news is the darkest night is never the final word. Light always comes.

The Bible shows us this truth so clearly in the story of Jesus’ resurrection in Matthew 28:1-10.

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.’

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’” (Matthew 28:1-10 NIV)

Those women went to the tomb expecting death. They thought the darkness had won and the light was gone. But everything they expected was shattered by an earthquake, a broken Roman seal, an angel, a new dawning of light and life, and the words that changed history: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”

A couple of things we can take from this story include:

1. Because of that morning, we don’t have to live in fear. The angel’s first words were, “Do not be afraid.” That’s one of the most repeated commands in all of Scripture. God really wants us to know we don’t have to be ruled by fear.

I know fear well. A few years ago, I took the Enneagram test and discovered I’m a six. One thing the book I read suggested about sixes is that our deadly sin is fear—we have a deep-seated need to feel secure. I realized how many decisions I had made out of fear and how much anxiety I carried by always thinking about the worst-case scenario. I’m better now than I used to be, but I still fight it. Unexpected expenses, even with us having an emergency fund, used to terrify me. When fear would rise, my husband would remind me God will take care of us—and He always does.  I’d worry about my kids walking away from Jesus. When that happens, I remind myself that God loves my children even more than I do.

Maybe you’re facing a medical test result, wondering how the bills will get paid, walking through a season of transition, or feeling God call you to something outside your comfort zone. Fear is part of being human, and it can paralyze us. But because of who God is and because Jesus rose from the dead, we don’t have to be afraid.

2. The resurrection is the bedrock of our faith. Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:13). Without it, none of this matters. But He did rise, and that changes everything.

3. The angel didn’t just tell the women Jesus had risen—he invited them to “Come and see the place where he lay.” They saw with their own eyes that the tomb was empty. What they expected to be death became life.

   
   

If you’re walking through a dark season right now—feeling vulnerable, exposed, or helpless as the women and the disciples were on Friday night and Saturday—hear this good news: darkness is never the last word. God is in the business of renewal. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” He never wastes a hurt.

4. The story didn’t end at the tomb. The women were told to go quickly and tell the disciples. On the way, Jesus met them. Their response was worship—they clasped His feet and worshiped Him. When we encounter the risen Jesus and recognize God’s goodness in our lives, worship should be our first response.

   
   

5. Then Jesus gave them a mission: “Go and tell…” That same mission is for us today. We are called to share the hope we have because of Christ’s death and resurrection. We don’t have to have all the answers. We just need to tell what God is doing in our own lives.

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!

Whatever darkness you’re facing this week—whether it’s in your home, your health, your relationships, or the world around you—remember the sunrise. Light always wins. New mercies are waiting. New opportunities to see God’s faithfulness are right around the corner.

Reflection Questions:

1. What areas of your life feel dark right now—maybe a relationship struggle, health concern, financial worry, or something in the news that weighs heavily on your heart? How does the truth that “the sunrise pushes the darkness away” speak to that situation today?

   
   

2. The women went to the tomb expecting death and tears, yet they met the risen Jesus. Is there something in your life right now where you’re expecting the worst (darkness winning), but God might be inviting you to “come and see” something new instead?

   
   

3. Fear is something many of us battle (maybe you’re a fellow “Six” on the Enneagram, or you just know that anxious feeling). What fear has been whispering to you lately? What would it look like this week to replace that fear with the angel’s words: “Do not be afraid”?

   
   

4. When the women encountered the risen Jesus, their response was worship—they clasped His feet. Looking back over the past week or month, where have you seen God’s goodness, faithfulness, or beauty? How can worship become your first response?

   
   

5. The women were given a mission: “Go and tell.” Who in your life (family, friends, neighbors) needs to hear about the hope you have because Jesus rose and conquered darkness? What small, ordinary way could you share your story this week?

   
   

6. Romans 8:28 says, “God works in ALL things for good…” Is there a hurt or dark season from your past that God has already turned into something beautiful? How does that give you hope for whatever you’re walking through right now?

Share this with a friend who needs to find the light of a new dawn in their life.

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