On the darkest day of all

On the darkest day of all the Light of all the world
was crowned with thorns and lifted on a cross.
Forsaken and alone, the Son became our sin,
surrendering His life for love of us.

Then the darkness of the tomb was shattered by the Son,
the grave could not contain His radiant light.
The stone was rolled away, death's victory reversed
In Christ the resurrection and the life.

Christ was raised, never to die again,
and he reigns in everlasting light.
We are saved, forever we'll live in him
for we share his resurrection life.

In the darkness of this world the hope of glory shines.
The shadows of this age will pass away.
His triumph is assured, our future is secure,
for Jesus rose to life on Easter Day.

Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus is alive.

A couple of years ago, I was preparing songs for the Easter services and realised that I had an abundance of songs about the cross to choose from for Good Friday, but not so many songs about the resurrection. Sometimes evangelical Christians can be very focussed on the cross and the work Christ accomplished there, which is of course good and right, but the cross considered without the resurrection is simply a tragedy - considered in the light of the resurrection it is a triumph. I wrote this song as a result, to try and express some of those Biblical truths about what the resurrection means for us, and greatly revised it after input from the other RESOUNDworship writers, including sharpening the focus on the light/darkness theme that runs throughout the song.