Standing off in the distance, the same women who had watched Joseph of Arimathea take Jesus’s body down from the cross also watched as His body was “laid in a tomb cut out of the rock,” with a stone rolled against the entrance (Mark 15:46). Their Savior, Lord, and friend was now dead and buried.
Can you imagine how they felt? If I had been there to witness the stone being rolled over the entrance—sealing His body inside—I wonder if my waning hope for a Savior King would’ve been sealed inside, too. The darkness and overwhelming sadness of the event must have made Jesus’s trusted followers feel utterly hopeless.
Many of us know what it feels like to believe God has left us. We know what it’s like to doubt. We’ve had our own dark seasons—seasons where we’ve felt susceptible to the attacks of the evil one, lacking all peace.
I have walked through seasons of depression and extreme anxiety and have had the same thoughts as the writer of Lamentations: “My future is lost, as well as my hope from the LORD” (3:18). And in those moments, there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel or an end to the suffering.
For followers of Jesus in that day, it was difficult to see the light at the end of their tunnel. We can now rest on this side of the resurrection, but it’s important to sit in the space where those first Christ followers once found themselves. Sometimes, we need to lean into our questions, doubts, and brokenness with open hands, expectantly waiting for God’s next move. Because even when it seems all is lost, dead and buried and grieved, God is still doing something.
While the disciples hid in their homes, God was busy defeating sin and death. While Mary Magdalene looked at the closed tomb, God was reconciling everything to Himself through Jesus’s blood, shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20). While Jesus’s followers sat with doubt, fear, sadness, and loss, God was faithful to keep His promise to save His people.
In our dark seasons, when we feel hopeless, God is still moving and working things out for our good. There is hope in Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. “Death no longer rules over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:9–11). Jesus is still our one, good hope. May we stay expectant of God’s deliverance.
This is silent Saturday. Jesus is in the tomb. His disciples are in hiding, wondering if they are the next to be arrested. Let this be a silent Saturday for us as well. Let us ponder Jesus’ final words spoken as he was dying. Let us ponder the courage of Joseph of Arimathea. Let us ponder the roles of Pilate and the centurion. Let us think of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses as they were watching to see where Jesus was laid. Let us stop and wonder what each may have been thinking, may have been feeling. Let us sit and be silent because Jesus is in the tomb. Just for this one day, let us be silent.
The waiting and the sorrow they must have felt, magnified by the injustice of the crucifiction and the guilt of having done nothing, hiding, and denial. This was in the waiting and the wondering of now that Jesus was dead, what did that mean for them. I wonder did His words come back to them in their sorrow,? His commands, healings, humble incredible love. Miracles, even raising Lazarus and others from death?
So much to ponder, in all that he had told them. Jesus, Name above all names, blessed Redeemer. Living Word. Be with us Lord as we ponder your sacrifice and all you have done to give us life, forgiveness, mercy, grace and love. Hugs Susters, Sunday is almost here.
Thanks Heidi, praying with you for Dorothy and her family. Hugs to you Dorothy may you feel Jesus near and His love over you all this day.
That I will see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living. Come Lord Jesus! Bring Life.
I really needed this. Thank you!!
Christian hinges on the resurrection- can’t wait for tomorrow!! So grateful for the whole truth all at once. Can’t imagine living thru it – although powerful in a completely different, tangible way!
With you Heidi, Dorothy and family as we hold youup in prayers for peace of heart on this first anniversary of your nieces passing..
Sending love wrapped hugs sister..❤
I have watch in helpless hopelessness as the undertakers sealed my daughters coffin. One nail at a time. I have watched as the soil was thrown over her casket deep in that six foot grave, the feeling of wanting to get in and bring her back to us. I have felt utterly hopeless, as I watched people walk away in their sorrow and sadness… knowing this truly was it… SHE WAS NOT COMING HOME.. we would never in real time see that beautiful smile, hear that laughter, walk alongside her..The lid on the coffin, the soil, marking the end of life as we, those thst loved her, knew it…
But God…
Dear wonderful, loving, faithful God..
Yes, we needed a period of mourning our loss here on earth, we needed to rejig our life to the new normal, we had to say ‘goodnight’ ‘see you one day soon’, best way we could in our own time, in the interim, I was blessed to have had a picture from God as to where my daughter was.. an absolute blessing and life changer for me!
But God..
Mercifully never ever leaves us, and this story, this truth of our Savior, his death, the rules of noting the Sabbath, the quietness and brokenness of heart for all who knew and loved Jesus, and that feelingg of ‘is that it’ hopelessness.. I tell you what, sisters, that stings, thst hurts my heart, it truly does..
But God..
Thankfully, oh my heart sings so with that word, THANKFULLY..
Never leaves us with our sorrows. In our darkness, I have often found this day a non discrpt day .. dumbness come to mind. But here’s the thing, for me .. my daughter, did not come home as my dreams had me hoping..
But God called her home to be with Him, to wholeness, to peaceful rest. I am of the hope that for all Jesus endured days before, He needed to be with His father, to restore, to rejuvenate, to reconfig because…
SUNDAY IS COMING.
And we know what that means…
Blessings abundant dear hearts..