Death Defeated-the In Between
Isaiah 25:8, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”
Good morning! It’s Saturday, it’s the day after, it’s the day before. As His disciples and followers hide and cower, talk in disbelief of what happened, does time stand still? Do you take a moment to ponder on just what was going on in each of their minds? Does your heart ache for the feelings of loss, of fear, of brutal pain that each of them held inside their hearts? Do you see Mary, His mother, wrenching, grasping for peace, for understanding, for compassion from God? She knew, she always knew; but it still gives her pain, death tears at her heart. She was His mother, the chosen woman that God gave the appointed blessing of carrying His son; birthing Him, raising Him, bringing Him to the temple. It’s Saturday, the day after, the day between the death; before the resurrection. What are you doing? Are you searching your heart, pondering on the day, wondering on the Saturday, the day between? Can you grasp the thoughts Peter was now having after denying the one man, master, savior, that lead him, taught him, guided him; seemingly gone, taken, laid in a tomb? He couldn’t see Him, he couldn’t ask for forgiveness in person; he needed Jesus to be present, to be near in His earthly body; but it wasn’t happening! Jesus told them, time and time again, His death was coming, His purpose was going to be revealed, He was going to die. We have the opportunity to read and know the story; but do we feel what they felt on Saturday? Are we understanding what God means when He says, “there is purpose in the waiting”? It’s Saturday, between the death, before the resurrection. Are you ready for what tomorrow brings; what tomorrow means? Are you really understanding the WHY of what Good Friday was, and WHAT Sunday truly means? Are you taking time on the day between to see Easter, to see the true meaning, to feel what they felt that Saturday? Before you go do all those things families do to celebrate, to commune together, to get ready for Easter, take a moment to remember Saturday, the day after, the day before. Ask God to bring His presence into your heart and truly get ready because SUNDAY is coming!
Scriptures:
Read: I Corinthians 15:54-55, John 3:16-17, John 11:25-26, Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 1:18, I Corinthians 15:20, Romans 6:4, Revelation 21:4, II Timothy 1:10, Luke 12:4, II Corinthians 5:8-9, Ephesians 6:12-13, Hebrews 2:9-10, Romans 8:2, Revelations 12:10
Prayer:
Dear God in heaven, we come now asking for your presence to enter in and fill us with peace and content; with the understanding of the purpose of Jesus dying on that cross. God, we want to thank you for that sacrifice that gave each of us the opportunity to become one with you, to be saved by grace, to become your disciple; to begin a life renewed and ready to share that with others. God, today and always we ask for you to keep guiding, protecting, blessing us as we work toward that home in heaven. Amen.