Waiting In Silence

It’s been just over three weeks since we celebrated Resurrection Sunday!

It frustrates me how quickly after Easter, the intensity of the nails, the blood and water gushing from Jesus’ body, fades to black and white. The health diagnosis, piercing pain of loss of a marriage, a job, or a relationship leaves us once again feeling hopeless. We go back to living as if it is “Silent Saturday” and forget that “Resurrection Sunday” really happened. Sometimes, I wonder if we’re more like Thomas than we realize saying, “unless I see and touch” Him, it didn’t really happen.

How do we stop living as if it is “Silent Saturday” all year long?

Why was there a “Silent Saturday”? Couldn’t Jesus have risen a day earlier than on the third day?

I’ve wrestled with that thought the last few weeks. The third century rabbi Shemuel ben Nachmani said:

“We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.” We see things as we are! We fail to live expectantly where pain and grief have blurred our vision!

- Rabbi Shemuel ben Nachmani

But isn’t that part of what sanctification, being set apart, is all about?

When I sit in the silence of Saturday, I remember that discipleship, following Jesus living a life that is all about sacrifice, takes time. And maybe sometimes it requires waiting.

The Bible is full of three-day stories. Joseph’s brothers were thrown in prison, and were released… on the third day.

So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live.

- Genesis 42:17-18

Esther had Mordecai and her people pray against a genocide of the Israelites. On the third day, Esther approached the King which led to the events that prevented it.

On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance.

- Esther 5:1

And how can we forget Jonah?

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

- Jonah 1:17

And the list goes on! Maybe there is something to the day of silence.

In the waiting room of the redemption we’re waiting for, we have an opportunity to hope and to have faith, assured that resurrection is always coming!

After Thomas had touched Jesus’ hand and side, Jesus said to him,

“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

- John 20:29

Let’s sit in the hope of the healing of our circumstances! Through our broken bodies, shattered hopes, unfulfilled dreams.

It may be Saturday, but there will always be a Resurrection Sunday ahead!

Pastor Pam

‍