For the first time in decades, it seems like the world has gone quiet… no more major sporting events, concerts canceled, and Late Night T.V. hosts are home in their pajamas watching the television rather than being on it.
It’s strange that the physical world could stand still, yet the digital world is louder than ever: social media and zoom congregating people by the thousands and News Media blaring the same painful highlight-real of devastation and panic. It’s like being trapped on a merry-go-round at the fair with no way of getting off and no knowing of when it’s going to end.
The combination of both eerie silence as well as so much unknown is not much different than that of centuries ago: the day that Heaven held its breath, as Jesus took his last.
It was a Saturday, the day of the Sabbath- a time when the Jewish people had to honor their time-old religious tradition of rest. God intentionally had those who loved Jesus painfully wait in silence, solitude, and quiet waiting. There was nothing to distract or numb out the pain of what they had just experienced the day before; watching the long-promised Messiah brutally beaten, mocked, and ultimately die on the cross.
But here’s the thing: God wasn’t forcing them into the Sabbath for the purpose of groveling in grief, he was lovingly prodding them towards a space to REST. He was taking care of everything else, and resurrection was just a day away.
“Those who were left behind were called to rest, because it was Christ who was doing the work. Christ was at work defeating the devil in the bowels of Hell, reclaiming what was His to begin with. It was Christ with the agenda, not us. It was Christ on the warpath, not us. It was Christ who was doing, not us.” – “It is Finished” by YouVersion
The same is true for all of us today: we are in a position of being forced into rest. As we wait… GOD IS AT WORK. He is fighting our battles, defeating the enemy, and soon (hopefully not too much longer) this virus will be yet another tool of the enemy that the Lord destroys as He heals our world.
Just as the Jews waited Saturday in anticipation for the following day that Christ promised to rise from the grave, we also wait with the same hope. Jesus defeated death not only then, but promised to return again once and for all.
“We may be facing a delay, a distraction, or even devastation for a season. But it is not a final destination. Resurrection is coming. For some of us, it will be like Lazarus and happen miraculously this day. But for all who trust in Jesus as Savior, whether our circumstances change or not, there is eternal hope because his resurrection power has the final say.” “Finding I Am” by Lysa TerKeurst
My hope and prayer for you as you enter into Silent Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Easter, is that you will lean into the rest that God is freely offering to you. That you would place your hope in God for his resurrection power in YOUR life amidst a season of waiting and unknown.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4
Photo by Alessandro Venturi on Unsplash
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