Jesus Needed Saturday

Lent Day 46.

By the time, Saturday rolled around, I'm sure Jesus-followers were wondering if life would ever be normal again.

Grief does that.

So does fear.

Top that with doubts and questions and mocking-voices-in-the-head, and it's no wonder all of Jesus' disciples were in hiding.

For these, Saturday was an even darker day.

This morning, I'm vividly aware that tomorrow is Sunday.

Resurrection Day.

But, they had no clue.

Jesus, their HOPE, was dead.

Picture their Saturday...without any concept of Easter.

(Truth is they had been given clues from Jesus, but those clues seemed to have been nailed to the cross right along with Him.)

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There was more to Saturday from Jesus' side of the grave...while earth seemed silent in grief, there was more happening that no one was aware of...

Jesus was busy.

Busy in a world that no one else could see; and, His Saturday was anything but quiet... 

We don't know exactly what happened, but we get snippets in Ephesians 4:7-8, Colossians 2:15, and 1 Peter 3:15-18.  

What we do know is Jesus descended into a place, which we know nothing about, and proclaimed TRUTH to those who were being held captive there.

What we do know is that he made a public display of the enemy He had triumphed over through his death. 

Jesus needed Saturday in order to prepare for Sunday's Grand Event... 

So, while the disciples spent Saturday greatly distressed, Jesus spent it busily preparing for their new life to come following his GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.  

Come Sunday morning, their fear would be replaced with courage, their sadness and grief would be replaced with joy.  The confusion would be cleared up, and they would be given a mission of their own to proclaim.  

The lesson of Saturday, for me, is this:  

No matter what life's issues may be in the Saturday's of our lives, there will always be a Sunday when we are in Christ Jesus.  

Jesus is always at work preparing for it, in a place we can't see, and the result?  GREAT JOY!  

Joy always, always, comes in the morning! (Ps. 30:5). 

Our mourning will always be turned to dancing (Jeremiah 31:13)!

Sunday is coming!