Text: John 19:38-42, Romans 6:5-11
If ever there was a day to skip over. To rush past. As if the day before hadn’t been crushing enough, as if all of creation hadn’t cried out in angst as the One who knew no sin became the propitiation for all of us. On this day, it seems like all of heaven would just want to go back to bed. It’s darkest before the dawn and other cliches don’t bring any comfort. There isn’t a bowl of ice cream big enough or a nap refreshing enough or blanket warm enough that can ease the empty ache of knowing that Jesus died with the whole weight of OUR sin because of His great love for us.
In Luke 19, Jesus told the Pharisees that if His disciples kept quiet, the rocks would cry out in praise of Him. Did creation groan so softly on this pregnant pause of a day? Did the Father long to reach out through that stony tomb and grab His Son and make everything right? Why the wait before the rescue?
In the stillness and the silence of the day after Jesus died, it feels right for us to swallow whole our own need and longing to be resurrected in Him. There are stages to grief, right? According to our human coping mechanisms – Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance? Yet no amount of those tactics would do any good in the wait between the cross and the rescue our Father had planned, nor will they do any good for us today as we grieve our own sin. Just like in our spiritual death and resurrection, our human terms and tactics affect no change. We can’t deny our depravity and need for grace, there is no right to be angry about it as we are absolutely the accused. No bargaining with our earthly treasures will gain us heavenly reward and no matter how sullen or depressed we find ourselves over our spiritual state, acceptance will not come.
We need Jesus. We need His resurrection power. And often, we need to sit in the reality of our spiritual deadness apart from Him to walk in the newness of life that we find in Jesus. Take heart sisters – death truly aches, but if we are united with Christ – we know what comes next.
Sunday is coming.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5, ESV)
WOW!! I read none of these comments before I wrote today's blog post. Amazingly, you are all mostly thinking the same way that I did. Don't skip over this Day After! CandaceJo, Carolynmimi, and Junebug, my thoughts exactly!! And Kim what an awesome thought! Just over the hill…..
Since my comment would have been way too long, I wrote it as a blog post instead. You can read it if you'd like here: http://ladybug1016.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/the-d…
Beautiful message on your blog. Have a wonderful resurrection Sunday!
This from another blog I follow by pastor and writer Eugene Scott.
The house is silent
Like the hearts of those
Who saw Him hung
And the stone rolled over
In gray morning light
I remember the last night
We gathered round
A table piled high
With bread and wine
And hope
I sit and wait
For life to stir
His voice to fill the room
And touch my fearful heart
By Eugene C. Scott
A Celtic Prayer of Waiting
Though I am poor…
though I am weak…
though anxious of heart…
tried as I am…
though [the way] may be hidden…
though the night is here…
though you be silent now…
Eugene C Scott | March 30, 2013 at 7:50 am | Tags: art, Celtic Prayers, communion, Easter, Good Friday, Grey Saturday, photography, poetry | Categories: Art, Christianity, Community, Eugene C. Scott, God Sightings, Living Spiritually, Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/pTzqW-xV
After being led through this holy week, day by day, I now understand so much, and yet bave so many questions. But isn’t that how Jesus’ followers must have felt? I can just hear tbem, “What happened? How did this go so wrong?” And I hear Jesus’ gentle whisper “Be still and know…”
We ARE blessed. We know what tomorrow brings; we have already received the Holy Spirit. And we k ow Jesus, our God and man, overcomes victorious. And a I can say is Thank you, thank you, thank you. Words are not enough…
Wonderful, Kim! Wow! Realize the reality and then “consider myself dead to sin.” As I read yesterday, it’s not something that will happen, but it has already happened. We are dead to sin!
I woke up this morning and my spirit cried he is yet alive! How priveledged we are. The decendants we know the ending, we have seen the fruit, we live and have our being as a result of Christs sacrifice.
I attended a passover service last nite and after it was over we sat down to a passover meal with roasted lamb,bitter herbs,and unleven bread. Our mood was reflective, when we talked about the goodnes of God , we talked about how his followers,family,friends must have felt. Sad,angry,numb like carolynmimi said. How quiet it is after your love one dies. How they must have missed his voice, those parables. In their hearts they longed, wanted to believe but in their heads they expected to see what was told to be in written in law one day far off.
Lord this morning I thank you as a recipent and heir to the Promise. I don’t have to wonder what’s next. I know the end of the story!
God bless everyone today!
I cannot change or heal what I do not acknowledge.
No, the above quote is not found in the bible. It's a saying that 12-step programs, counselors and motivational speakers often use to help others address their painful, ugly past. And today I acknowledge that I cannot do life without Jesus. Like Raechel beautifully put it, "we need to sit in the reality of our spiritual deadness apart from Him to walk in the newness of life that we find in Jesus."
So I light a candle (it's Sabbath after all…). And sit in it.
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zechariah 12:10 (NIV)
I love the scripture you have chosen for today. Brings to mind God's sorrow on this day as He remained separate from His only Son, waiting to raise Him. Amen and Amen
That’s Beautiful Kim! Thank you.
I love the story that Max Lucado tells about the women on the road to Emaeus. . . they are trudging up the hill, and things look very bleak. All hope is gone "The feet that walked on water had been pierced. The hands that healed lepers had been stilled. Noble aspirations had been spiked into Friday's cross." They had placed all of their hopes on Him, and now he was gone – death on the cross. But here is what they didn't know. . . in just a few steps, right over the hill. . . things were going to be different, because they were going to meet their Lord for He was risen. When our journey is too long, when the load is too heavy, when fear is just about to overtake us. . . Jesus is just over the hill and He is waiting for you with open arms. He is Risen ~ for YOU!
Amen and Amen, Kim.
Beautiful Kim, thank u.
Oh yes! What great power that is to come!
Praise the Lord!
Well said. Amen!