Dear Precious Friends,
As we embrace the gift of the most important weekend of our lives as Christians, we thank God for the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. We remember, the pain and suffering of the cross, and all that Jesus was willing to endure, so we could be set free. Jesus paid the price, such a great sacrifice, to offer us the gift of eternal life. Keep us always near the cross. As we wait at the foot of the cross, God, reveal to us again the costliness of our sin. Remind us Lord that Your all-consuming grace came at the highest price. And Forgive us for the times we’ve lived as if sin is no big deal, as if Good Friday never really happened. Give us eyes, Lord, to see the triumph of the cross. Even when all seems lost, even as we mourn Your death, remind us that You conquered the grave. Jesus, You tell us to take up my cross and follow You. Today more than ever, help us to remember what a weighty invitation that is. You won by dying—and it’s only by dying that we can follow in Your footsteps. It’s only by dying that we’ll ever truly come alive. Thank You that we can say with great hope, “It is finished…” For we know what’s still to come. And death has lost its sting. We praise you for making all things new.
Holy Saturday is a dark day because of the reality that our Lord and Master has been crucified. His body has been beaten and broken. Nails have been driven into his hands and feet; a spear has pierced his side. In anguish, we watched as he cried out to the Father and gave up His spirit. Even more so, His lifeless body was taken from the cross and laid in a tomb, sealed shut with guards to stand watch. Truly, it is finished. It is on these kinds of days that we realize that we really have nothing to say. All of our hopes seem to have died along with Jesus. The reality of the matter defies our attempts to explain what has happened and why. Our attempts to reason it out only lead us toward more heartbreak. Christ has died. If we were to say anything at all, it would be to echo the words of the psalmist, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits…my soul waits for the Lord, more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.” Psalm 130 :9. So we wait for the morning. Surprisingly, in the waiting, there is hope. Our waiting in the depths of death and sorrow is not in vain.
The Lord is silent on Saturday. But don’t ignore Saturday. You and I have those silent days too where we are to wait for the Lord too. Saturday’s silence torments us. Is God angry? Did I disappoint Him? God knows Jesus is in the tomb, why doesn’t He do something? Or, in your case God knows your struggles. Why doesn’t He act? Jesus knew God would not leave Him alone in the grave. You need to know; God will not leave you alone with your struggles. His silence is not His absence; His inactivity is never apathy. Saturdays have their purpose. They let us feel the full force of God’s strength. But despite the silence, Jesus promises that joy is coming. In our times of pain, grief, misunderstanding, and confusion… In our moments where we are left wallowing in the silence of God and unanswered prayers… When we are stuck in our Saturdays-the days following our darkest moments, we can hold on to this promise-one that Jesus gave His disciples some 2000 years ago. So today, as we reflect on the death of our Lord, reflect in silence. Embrace the pain, embrace the seemingly unquestionable loss of a future and wait. But know that as we wait, hope will not disappoint us. Because joy is coming. A joy that no one can take away. What are we supposed to do until He does? We do what Jesus did. Be still, stay silent and trust God.
Source: God's word, Holy Spirit, Daily Devo.
