Saturday

Saturday. What comes to mind? A day off? A day to catch up on chores? Shopping? Relaxing? Family Day?

I recently read John Ortberg’s “Who Is This Man?” In this he devoted an entire chapter to Saturday. A specific Saturday.

I had never thought about this particular Saturday before . . . the Saturday between the crucifixion and the resurrection.

What would you have done if you had been there on that Saturday? Questioned . . . Waited . . . For what? The disciples and other followers of Jesus didn’t know Sunday was coming.

After all the events of the hours that passed before Saturday . . . the Passover meal . . . the foot washing . . . praying in the garden . . . sleeping in the garden . . . soldiers . . . denial . . . the trial . . . the mob . . . “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” . . . the whip . . . the crown of thorns . . . heart pounding fear . . . heart breaking loss . . . and then He said, “It is finished”. Did the followers feel that they too were done?

Even the women heading to the tomb Sunday morning did not anticipate seeing the risen Christ . . . they were heading there to care for a body . . .

But . . . THAT Sunday morning, EVERYTHING changed . . . for them . . . for us.

Because of that Sunday morning, our Saturdays are also forever changed.

Make no mistake about it, we still have Saturdays . . . those days after . . .

The day after the heart stopping fearful diagnosis . . . The day after the loss . . . The day after the door slams and your son is gone to who knows where . . .The day your daughter does not call . . .

The day after . . . Saturday . . . When heaven seems silent and you don’t know which way to turn . . .

Saturday . . . When hope is gone and prayer seems futile . . . When you don’t even know what to pray. . .

But . . . here’s our advantage. We KNOW about Sunday! Though we will have moments of despair . . . and days when the stuff of life seems overwhelming . . . we do not need to stay there. Sunday happened and we are forever changed by that reality!

“‘Don’t be alarmed’ he said’ you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified. HE HAS RISEN!’” (Mark 16:6a)

Hope for every “Saturday”!

HE HAS RISEN!

Ruth U.