Saturday

After a blogging fast for Lent, I'm back!

The day before Easter, I went to the beach to be still, pray, and prepare my heart for Easter.

"It's the day before Easter.

The day in between.

The day of waiting.

Perhaps the day of the most sorrow.

I think there was a speck of hope on Friday - hope that he still might come off the cross and prove them all wrong.  Hope that he'll actually endure all the suffering and survive it!  But no, he dies.  And now it's the day after and all hope is gone.  He's dead.  There's no reversing time, no matter the desire and will.  He is dead.

So what of all he said?

All he taught?

Was it true?

The frustration, disappointment, anger, complete sorrow - its too much to bear.  How do you move on?  How do you get through?  Will time heal?

Such a hopeless day.

And you try to sleep and hope to wake up from the nightmare - it all wasn't true.

But you wake up and he's still gone.

It is true.

The day of loss.

The day of defeat.

Hopeless.

Death is so final.

The day there was no longer a heartbeat of our 4th baby was so final.  It would no be changed.  And I hoped and I prayed and I wished.  But no, there was no bringing back what had been taken.  The baby was gone.  It was final.  

Such grief.
Such loss.

Such hopelessness.

And I hoped to wake up from the nightmare, but I continued to wake up to the nightmare.

I live on the other side of the miracle of the cross.  I know how the story ends.  I know that tomorrow we'll celebrate Jesus overcoming death and gasping for breath again.

He conquered the grave!

He is ALIVE!

I know that - always have.

That's what makes Saturday no big deal.

I know what's coming!

But Saturday was a big deal.

He could have been crucified, dead, and come back to life a few hours later.

But he didn't.  He was dead - beyond hope.  No trace of life.  And yet hope sprung and life was reborn.

Saturday just might be the most important day of all.

If there wasn't Saturday, Sunday wouldn't be nearly as remarkable and miraculous."

Life is filled with "Saturdays."  The day (or days) in between the suffering and the miracle.

We wait and wait and hope seems to daily fade as the pain and reality overtake us.

Yet Sunday is always there, waiting to bring new life and breathe hope into us once again.

If today is Saturday for you - take heart!  He has overcome the world and Sunday is coming!