What about Saturday

As we have been focusing our attention to this weekend, many will hit the stores in search of that “perfect” Easter dress, load up on tons of candy and last but not least, seek out that Easter basket which will hold those cute, precious little eggs that will be hidden for the children to find. This has become the custom of modern America. It is sad that we (as a nation) focus more upon the pagan holiday instead of what it is truly about.

On our calendars, we have Good Friday, Saturday and then Easter Sunday. I, myself, prefer to stay away from the word Easter, instead, I prefer to call the day Resurrection Sunday. As we know, it was Friday that Christ, willingly, joyfully, endured the cross, took the wrath of the Father, and justified us by His blood! Then we skip over to Sunday, and that is the day we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Again, a glorious truth, our whole faith rests upon the fact that Jesus literally rose from the dead. Though the sting of death He tasted, death had no power over Him, and because He lives, we now live! But what about Saturday? I do not want to take away from either the death or the Resurrection of Christ, but what about Saturday, is there any
truth for us about Saturday, as He was in the tomb? Now, before I proceed, let me say that these are my thoughts and not dogmatic truths of Scripture.

The accounts of Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection all include some information on the disciples, that is they all fled and we don’t read of them again until after He rose from the dead. Mark 14:49-50 says this: “Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled. And they all left Him and fled.” (ESV) We know that that night Peter denies Jesus three times. Nothing is mentioned about them on Saturday. I just couldn’t help but think of how wonderful, in a way, Saturday actually was.

Think about it. Here, the disciples walked with Jesus, listened to Him preach and teach, saw the
miracles He performed for 3 ½ years, then in one moment He was gone. He was arrested by the religious rulers, then put to death. The man they had forsaken everything for was dead. Obviously they could not see beyond the cross to Sunday. They heard Jesus speak about resurrection, but had no earthly idea what was going to happen. They were scared, confused, abandoned, and were weaker than ever before. What they didn’t know then, was He was with
them and as close to them as ever before!

How often in our lives do we have “Saturdays”? Those days were we cannot see past our circumstance and we are scared, confused, we feel abandoned and we are weaker spiritually than ever before. I believe those days in our lives become the most precious of days. Those are the days we are being refined and we are actually growing stronger by the grace of God. Though the disciples scattered and fled on Saturday, as we do often in our lives, Christ brought His bride back to Himself.

As we reflect upon this weekend, especially of the Resurrection of Christ, may we draw comfort that His Resurrection truly brings life, hope, peace and comfort , even in the midst of seasons of Saturdays!

Soli Deo Gloria