The Day In-Between

Yesterday was Good Friday.  The day Jesus was sent to the cross to die then laid in a tomb.

Tomorrow is Easter. The day Jesus came back.

Today is the day in-between.  The Sabbath. The day of rest.

Was is really restful for the diciples that were closest to Jesus?  A lot had just transpired in a day. Their world had went from miraculuous to miserable.

They had spent the last few years learning from this Jesus - the Christ - who could heal the sick, make the lame walk, restore eyesight, make the winds and waves peaceful again, cast out demons to restore sanity, feed thousands with one person's lunch, and treat everyone with respect while teaching them what God really meant in the scriptures.  He challenged their views, challenged their intentions, and challenged them all to be God's children not just law livers.  Jesus, - Emmanuel, God With Us - had shared what God was like as a Father not just the Creator of the Universe and Law to live by.

He gave them Hope.  And now He was gone.

Reading the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), I only know they "rested" on the Sabbath.  The action starts again on the next day at the empty tomb.  The thing that irritates me often about the Bible is its lack of emotional filler in times like these.  I want to know what the conversations were like: were they yelling at each other in desperation? Did they say any words at all?  Were they so exhausted they truly rested because they just slept it off? What about the women? Did they accuse the men in the room for not stepping in to save Jesus?  Did Simon Peter remind them of everything Jesus taught them while confessing he had denied knowing Jesus before the rooster crowed?  Did they all go silent when all they could do was watch from afar?

Did it feel like they were sitting in that room waiting for death like their ancestors during the first Passover night those centuries ago in Egypt? Paralyzed with fear and barely breathing? Or were they singing hymns?  DId they praise God on the day of Sabbath as they always did?  Were they angry at God?  Did their prayers change?

Did they still have hope?

It's different for us now.  We know the history. We know that "Sunday's Coming."  This day of in-between is a day of rest for most.  But days of rest in our time doesn't mean the same as it did then.  Do we take this time to really think how that day of in-between relates to us now?

Have you ever been in a situation where all hope seemed gone until in an unexpected moment in an unexpected way everything just changed for the better?

This day of rest, the -in-between, is just as important to the story of Easter as Jesus' death and ressurection. It's a day of choice for us.  Is our faith existent and active to wait on Him? Do you wait in childlike antcipation (like waiting for a trip to Disney), or do you wait in quiet desperation hoping that it all ends.  Do you choose to believe Jesus is who He said, or do you block all belief in a Messiah?

Going through all I have so far in my life, I know for certain the waiting with anticipation is a much better way than desperation.

Final note:  If you have never had a chance to be introduced to, or really get to know Jesus, I would be honored to be that connector for you.