Scripture:

Acts 2:27 (NIV)

You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

Saturday…

Saturday… The day after Jesus died on the cross and was buried in the tomb. The world was quiet, God was silent, and the reality of Jesus’s death and accompanying grief and uncertainty had set in for Jesus’s earthly family, friends, and followers. Although Jesus had tried to prepare them for the resurrection, at that moment they did not necessarily comprehend it. All they knew was that this man they loved was dead. What now?

I have known many of those “Saturdays.” The time after the death of a loved one, after the funeral services and burial have occurred and the dust has settled. At that point, you are left with the quiet, the reality of the loss, and the sadness and uncertainty of what this reality means for the future. But even in this sadness and the “what now? feelings” Saturday is an important time. It is in this time of stillness and waiting that we learn to trust God.

God may be silent during those “Saturdays” but just as He did not leave Jesus alone in the grave, He will not abandon us.

Only by going through this stillness and waiting, that we can feel the full force of God’s strength. Just think, if Jesus rose from the dead within an hour of dying, would that have really resonated? Would we have appreciated the act? In the same way, if we did not have that time of uncertainty and waiting, would we appreciate His strength?

And, we must always remember that Sunday is coming! The joy Jesus’s followers had when they learned [and processed] that Jesus was alive and defeated sin was even sweeter because of Saturday. Even so, is our joy as God answers our prayers and brings us through our struggles!

Reflection Written by Dawn Jennings

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we feel the silence of this day. As we start this Saturday, we turn to you for strength and guidance. Help us to be patient and trust in you in this time of sadness, uncertainty and struggle. Sometimes life's challenges can feel overwhelming, but we know that with your help, we can overcome them.

In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.