Secondary Principal
Another Holy Week came and went. How did you celebrate? Some of you probably went to a Maundy Thursday remembrance and enjoyed time at the Lord's Supper. Some of you remembered the darkness of our Lord's death at a solemn Good Friday service. Most of us observed Easter Sunday with a joyous worship and special activities with our family.
What did you do on Saturday?
Saturday of holy week is not one we think about too often; we spend most of our time thinking about the great pain of Friday and the great joy of Sunday. Saturday is simply the day in-between, a day to prepare for Sunday.
Last year at Easter, I was feeling a great deal of pain. My grandmother had passed away just two weeks prior and my marriage was hanging by a thread. Easter Sunday was a day I just wanted to get through for the sake of my kids. I had absolutely no joy and very little hope.
That Easter Sunday my pastor preached a sermon called "Everyday Sunday." He asked us if we were stuck in Saturday. Consider what Saturday would have been like for Jesus' loved ones. It must have been a rough day for the disciples. Imagine the pain they felt watching the Savior die. Saturday was their first day without him. They were waiting and wondering and they were mostly likely fearful. Our pastor called it "a no courage, no plans, no hope day" (Poit). I heard Max Lucado, a Christian author, on the radio last week call this particular Saturday "a silent Saturday." It was the day between the darkness of the crucifixion and the joy of the resurrection.
There are times in our lives when we get stuck in the Saturdays. We have endured the darkness of the trial and have yet to experience the joy of the victory. We are in a holding pattern. We are waiting for God to move, act, respond. That's where I was last Easter - I was stuck in Saturday, and unfortunately I lived in Saturday for many months. Thankfully, God uses our Saturdays to strengthen our faith in Him. Lucado wrote this on his blog: "Saturdays have their purpose. They let us feel the full force of God’s strength. Had God raised Jesus fifteen minutes after the death of His son, would we have appreciated the act? Were He to solve your problems the second they appear, would you appreciate His strength?" (Lucado).
So how do we move from Saturday to Sunday? My pastor suggested the following:
- Remember Jesus' words. Cling to His promises to you. You are not abandoned. He is working - even if you don't feel it or see it.
- Remember the deep sacrifice He made on your behalf. If you can find no other joy, find joy in the simple fact that God loves you deeply and sacrificially.
- Fellowship with other believers. Find encouragement in their stories. Revel in the deep connection and care they offer to you.
- Continue to worship the Almighty God. When Job experienced his deep tragedies, he fell to the ground in worship. Pouring out our hearts in worship does wonders to keep our eyes on the only One who can walk us from the silence of Saturday to the joy of Sunday.
"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14
Lucado, M. (March 30, 2013). The Silence of Saturday. Retreived on 4/17/2014 from http://maxlucado.com/read/blog/the-silence-of-saturday/
Poit, J. (March 31, 2013). Everyday Sunday. Sermon Notes. New Hope Community Church.
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