“I cannot even begin to imagine.”
It’s a response I’ve gotten used to as someone who writes about grief and feels it often. It’s all said with good intentions, of course, a nod to the gravity of the situation, but mostly, what I want to say in return is, “Yes, of course you can.” This life hurts, certainly we have all felt that.
There’s peripheral grief, the pain we find in tweets and headlines, feeling the loss of someone we once knew or will never meet. It’s the kind we pass through like a hospital hallway, guilty to be leaving so obviously whole, and yet, so unmistakably broken.
There’s nearby grief, sympathy pangs for the people we love and would trade places with in an instant. If only it could be us, we could tend to our own wounds and know exactly where it hurt. But instead, we visit, we sit, we wait, we do our best.
Then there’s intimate grief, the deep aches that shape us and never leave us the same. This kind ushers us into an entirely new reality, where we wonder if we’ll ever find joy again. And at the same time, we also question if we’d even want to, if we deserve to.
Holy Saturday—the day between Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection—invites us into all three dimensions of grief, a display of just how heartbreaking this life can be. After Jesus’s death, we see the silent doubts of onlookers in the crowd, feel the loss experienced by His closest disciples, and intimately grieve Our Father’s separation from His Son. With all of this obvious pain, it’s no wonder we’re hesitant to believe the good-news promises that have been made to us. And yet, here’s the most important part of today’s reading:
The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests
and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said,
“Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said,
‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give orders that the tomb be made secure
until the third day” (Matthew 27:62–64).
Although the scene was full of grief and doubt, the tomb was still secured by guards. While they said they were afraid His followers would steal His body, part of me wants to believe there’s a bigger truth at play here: Even those who opposed Jesus believed there was a chance He would keep His promises.
Regardless of whether we feel grief coming at us from all sides, or we don’t feel able to believe that God is who He says He is, the resurrection still comes. Easter still happens. Jesus offers the kind of mercy I cannot even begin to imagine or understand. Thanks be to God, whose faithfulness is good and whose promises are true. Amen.
I pray that my heart be melted to what Jesus did for me on the cross. To humble me to His love for me. My prayers are to love my Lord with all my heart, soul and might, that it will overwhelm me to the point to be broken, that I will serve Him with my whole heart, soul and mind. Forgive me my Dear Lord Jesus for all my sins and short comings. In my Lords Name! Amen!
Erin, this morning when I got out of bed, I had this same prayer on my heart — praying for my husband’s spiritually hard heart along with those in like marriages. I can see my prayers are mingling with yours and that is a hope and a blessing! Reading of how the chief priests and the Pharisees obviously heard, but not believed, that Jesus had declared he would be raised from the dead, I think of the many times my husband has heard the gospel story yet doesn’t show signs of true belief yet. He, like your husband, clams up when I attempt to approach spiritual conversations. Yes, the waiting is hard, yet my prayers persist that the Lord will have mercy on him and other husbands, wives, children, siblings, parents, friends of whom we love and desire to be saved.
Wow, I am amazed once again at how God knows what I need to hear, when I need to hear it and can say what in a way I need to hear it. Kaitlin Wernet really spoke to my heart today with this devotional. It is just unbelievable how God puts the person or thing in the right place at the right time. Our study of Jeremiah during this COVID-19 outbreak and stay at home orders. This devotional about grief when I am going through the grief of the lose of my niece. This week the devotions about hope when I needed hope to get through not just my grief of the lose of my niece but of wrecking my car. But as I have been told before “it’s a God thing.” I know God and Christ have my back and are there for me and I can turn to them but I just want to say “but God why.” When I say that I hear my father’s voice in my ear saying, “He has a reason for everything. We may not find out right away what it is but He does have a reason.” I found out from my sister Thursday that my niece had joined a church in West Virginia where her boyfriend lived and where she lived part of the time. That made me so happy because after my son’s death she had strayed from the church. The Last Rights were given on Thursday before she was cremated. Christ died for me, my niece and everyone. I know I will see her and my son again one day in Heaven but it is still hard. I will end the way Kaitlin ended her devotion, “Thanks be to God, whose faithfulness is good and whose promises are true. Amen.”
Resting and waiting like the Galilean women is hard, but is absolutely what my heart needs today. My Husband needs this so badly. Funny because he is a professing believer and an active member in our church— but his heart is hard. I mourn that so much this morning, because he can only partially see it, and when he does he just clams up. Lord, I pray over all of the husbands and families represented here reading SRT, that you would grab our families and husbands by the heart, and remind us that it’s not our job to drag them to you. Jesus would you come alongside my husband (and any others struggling) and remind them of who you are, even on dark days— you have overcome the world!
I echo your prayers. My husband was also given a large cut in pay yesterday and I’m praying it will turn his heart towards our Savior.
Good morning, sisters! This Holy Saturday is always a strange day to me, but even stranger this year. I do love to think about everyone- everyone- thinking it just might be true. Seal that tomb, just in case. Even as we are sealed into our homes these days, God’s love, His mercy, His grace breaks through. He is stronger than any stone, any locked door, any virus. He will bring us through this. Hope, sisters. Faith & hope. Tomorrow at 7AM Central Standard Time, I invite you to my church’s Sunrise Service. It’ll be on FUMCmontgomery.org – on the website & on Facebook live. Because we are expecting bad weather here in Alabama, it was pre-recorded this week. My daughter is the soloist. She has been going to church to rehearse & to record the service. That has been a strange experience for this mom-worrying about my child going to church! I believe the Lord has shielded and protected her as He used her to bless others with the gift of song He has given her. So, for a lovely message of hope, you are invited to my church tomorrow morning…on your sofa! Blessings, sisters. Happy Easter.
❤️❤️
Promise Keeper, He is the ultimate Promise Keeper. Today’s the day for me to solidify this truth in my soul to strengthen my faith, my resolve. To fall more in love than I thought possible with my savior, my Promise Keeper.
The already and the not yet. Silent Saturday looks a lot like our world today. We’ve been redeemed, but it’s not yet finished. There is grief but also great anticipation. May we be like the women from Galilee, honoring Gods word and being still, even if we long to rush headlong to meet our King.
Thank you Kara for your profound words of hope and wisdom
I really loved the thought that perhaps those who crucified Jesus thought/feared that what He promised might become a reality. Remember, even the demons recognized Him!