It is all too easy to distance ourselves from the reality of the narrative in the Gospels. On Good Friday, we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; without His shed blood, we would have no redemption. But we often skip a day as we rush to the triumphant joy of His resurrection.
But don’t forget the days between that darkest of days and the brightness of the new dawn and the empty tomb.
Psalm 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Reflect on the dashed dreams and hopes of the disciples as they awoke the morning after Jesus’ death. Peter’s heart was crushed and wracked with guilt and shame. After all, he denied the One to Whom he had asserted he would be there for Him to the death. John tried to console an inconsolable Mary even as he dealt with the trauma of watching Jesus’ torture and death. The other disciples cringed, remembering their desperate dash into the night, abandoning Jesus. The zealots amongst them dealt with disillusionment – the death of their revolutionary dreams. Jesus wasn’t going to take the throne of Jerusalem, ousting their oppressors once and for all. Yes, it was a dark time for the disciples. However, It is only on the darkest of nights that the stars shine their brightest.
If you are in a dark place of despair, in your own silent Saturday, be of good courage. Joy WILL come in the morning.
©2023 Katherine Walden