I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
Imagine that you are one of Jesus' disciples. Peter, perhaps, or John, or James.
It is Saturday. The Jewish Sabbath. The day after the crucifixion.
The first day in three years without your teacher, your friend, your Lord.
How are you feeling? What are you thinking?
Are you reaching out to your fellows, offering comfort and solace?
Or, are you so grief-stricken, still in shock, you cannot speak a word?
In hiding. Frightened. Heart-sick. Bereft. Bereaved.
And, even with others around you, feeling so wretchedly, miserably, utterly abandoned.
Forsaken.
Alone . . .
Then, through your tears, your sobs, do you hear Him? Talking to you? In your mind? Or, through words spoken by another?
Remember. What. He. Said.
"Son of Man . . . to Jerusalem . . . suffer . . . die . . . in three days . . ."
In three days . . . In three days . . . In three days . . .
Does the most fragile glimmer of hope dawn within you?
Or, are you so plunged in darkness, there is no room for light?
In three days . . . In three days . . . In three days . . .
Tomorrow. The third day.
Will it be as He said?
Will we see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living?
"I will rise from the dead . . ."
He will rise . . . He will rise . . . He will rise . . .
Do you believe it?
Do you dare?
~
Can you even imagine life without our Risen Lord?
Will you join me in prayer?
Let us wait in hope today, Father, as we prepare to celebrate the glorious resurrection of Your only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. May this last day of the Lenten season be filled with prayer, reflection, and fasting as we remember how His disciples must have felt the day after His death. We are so thankful to be people of the resurrection. Amen.
Readings
Psalms 95, 88 or 27
Lamentations 3:37-58
Hebrews 4:1-16 (morning)
Romans 8:1-11 (evening)
I can't imagine what those who had followed Jesus felt the day after he was crucified. I don't think they really understood what he was telling them would happened and truly mourned their loss, feeling they'd never see him again.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Easter. :)
Thanks so much for stopping by, Jessica!
DeleteYes, this was a difficult post for me to write because the grief and sadness is so wrenching and bitter. I would like to think at least one of them actually remembered what Jesus promised them
Happy and blessed Easter to you!
It's so easy to lose faith when the going is tough, Martha, so I can't begin to imagine what the disciples felt. Let us pray that no matter what happens we keep our faith in the God who loves us infinitely.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Easter, dear friend.♥
Thanks so much for dropping in today, Corinne!
DeleteYes, we must keep the faith, no matter what, remembering that sometimes Jesus calms the storm and, other times, He promises to go through it with us.
May you, too, have a most blessed Easter, my friend!
Happy Easter Martha! May we all be as certain as you of our beliefs. xo
ReplyDeleteHappy and blessed Easter to you, too, Rachel!
DeleteAlleluia! Christ is risen!
It must have been such a difficult time for the disciples! They were bereft,devastated and I wonder what went through their minds? What a glorious day for all of us! Jesus has risen from the dead!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter Martha! Have a blessed one!
Thank you so much for stopping by, Nelieta!
DeleteYes, I imagine it was the darkest of dark nights of the soul. Thank goodness for the light of our risen Lord!
Happy and blessed Easter to you!
Hello Martha.
ReplyDeleteJesus was on this earth for such a short time and yet he accomplished so much. I have had my own fair share of trials and tribulations, but what got me through them & keeps me going today is my belief in the promise of everlasting life in Paradise. Thanks as always for sharing & visiting.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Andy!
DeleteYes! This is precisely what keeps me going, too. Thank goodness for the risen Lord!
Have a happy and blessed Easter!
Martha, if I were in the disciples' position after Christ's death, I am sure I would be stricken with grief. Especially after witnessing how much Christ suffered on the day He was nailed on the Cross.
ReplyDeleteI don't think life on earth would still mean anything without a Risen Lord! Without Jesus rising from the dead, we would all be hopeless. So praise God for sending us His only Begotten Son! :-)
Happy Easter, Martha! God bless you and your family! :-)
Thanks so much for dropping in, Irene!
DeleteOh, yes, praise God for our risen and reigning Lord! Where, indeed, would we be without Him?
A happy and blessed Easter to you and yours!
Somehow the apostles' weaknesses strengthen my faith... that despite their grief, devastation, disbelief, they weren't too proud to seek Him again. I take some comfort in knowing that I may lose my way at times but He never really lets me go. Aren't we so lucky to have such a loving God?
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Anne!
DeleteWhat a wonderful reflection you have shared here. Yes, we all lose our way, but our loving God turns us and turns us and turns us until we come around right. And, not being too proud to be corrected? That says it all!
Blessings to you and hope you had a most happy Easter!
Our strength is in the Lord. I hope in Him. We have come to know that if Christ is not risen, then our whole faith is in vain. What is Christianity for?
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that the Lord has come, is and will be coming again.
Thank you God for this gift. I pray with you Martha.
Indeed, Melissa! To paraphrase St. Paul, if the resurrection is not real, Christians, of any group, are the most to be pitied . . .
DeleteBut, we know He is risen and He will come again, just as He promised!
O Glorious day!
Blessings, my dear!