So today is Saturday, some say silent Saturday, and it’s kind of an odd day because it’s the day after Jesus dies, but the day before His resurrection. It’s this awkward in-between time because you know what’s coming, but it’s not here yet.
I began to imagine how the disciples must have felt that day. We know Easter is coming; we know Jesus is coming back. But they didn’t know yet. They were confused. They were expecting a political leader to come in and defeat the Roman Empire, and the man they thought would do that just died.
Not only had the disciples just dedicated 3 1/2 years of their lives to this man, but they had put their trust in Him as God.
They had seen Him be crucified, and their hope died with Him. And then Saturday came. It’s safe to say it was the worst Saturday in history, because for a brief period, Jesus was dead and the world had no hope.
God’s plan made no sense at that moment.
You might relate well to the disciples’ situation. Does it seem like a Saturday in your life right now? With this quarantine, it kind of feels like every day is Saturday in more ways than one. If you’re stuck at home every day, or maybe it’s even the season of life, that Saturday seems to drag on and on, where you don’t know what is going to happen next. You may feel hopeless.
There is a lot of uncertainty right now. Like the disciples, we can see how things are, but we can’t see yet how God is moving. We don’t have access to see the end results, and there’s not a lot that makes sense right now.
So what did the followers of Jesus do to get them through their Saturday?
Tucked away at the end of Luke 23 is a verse that could be easily overlooked, but it offers some sound advice for us today if we look closely. Let’s read it:
“And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”
Luke 23:56
So what did these followers of Christ do that helped them get through their Saturday?
1. They did what they knew to do.
They prepared spices to put on Jesus’s body, which was customary in those days. They weren’t sure how to react, so they just did what they normally did. So simple, but easy to forget.
During this time in quarantine it’s easy to feel panicked, to feel like you can’t do anything. That’s okay. Just start with what you know to do. Wear a mask, wash your hands, keep cleaning and cooking. Do what you know to do.
2. They rested.
It would have to have been so hard to just rest knowing Jesus had died the day before. I would have probably been pacing, anxious, and probably fearful. Yet the women rested. I believe even in the middle of chaos we can still find rest in God.
I know I’m not the only one who longed for a vacation before we were all in quarantine. I longed for a few days to just sleep in, watch a movie, eat ice cream and crochet. Now that I have the opportunity, it’s hard to relax. I have been, though, and it’s been really nice. It’s okay and even good to rest in the middle of difficult situations.
This past week I have been really stressed out and down without understanding exactly why. Then last night it finally hit me. I have constantly been berating myself for not being more productive, and it had gotten me really down. I had to stop and free myself of my own expectations. I had to tell myself it’s okay to rest. It’s also okay to be tired in this season. It’s normal, and you’re not a bad person for stopping to rest. Let yourself rest during this time, and don’t belittle yourself for being tired.
3. They maintained their relationship with and commitment to God.
These followers were probably really confused about God’s plan, but they still rested on the sabbath. They still honored their commitment to God through obedience.
We won’t always understand what God is doing, but we need to stay faithful to Him. How do we stay faithful in our relationship to Him? We can continue to read His word, pray, and meet online or over the phone with brothers and sisters in the faith. We can also choose to trust Him even when it doesn’t make sense.
Sometimes Saturdays last a long time. I want to assure you, though, that Sunday will come and that the joy that it brings will be worth the wait. Just as one Saturday is like a drop in a bucket compared to the 2,000 years of rejoicing in the resurrection since Christ rose, such will be our sufferings on the earth compared to an eternity in heaven. One day we will rejoice forevermore, with no more anxiety, no more death, and not even any more tears!
What a day that will be!
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