Silent Saturday

Silence with God is a good thing. It is often in our silence that God speaks the loudest. We are even commanded in Scripture to “be still and know that He is God.” Our silence helps us feel God’s presence.

Silence from God is completely different. Silence from God is scary. Silence from God is disappointing. God’s silence causes us to doubt His presence.

We often believe God’s presence is always accompanied by his activity. When God isn’t obviously active, then He must be absent.

We aren’t the only ones to believe this.

After witnessing the death and burial of Jesus, His closest followers thought God’s silence meant his absence. God’s lack of movement meant a lack of care.

Saturday was silent.

Silent Saturday is void of hope. Silent Saturday is the day the dream is still lost. Silent Saturday is the day the body is still in the tomb. Silent Saturday is when death seems to win.

Most of us don’t function well on Silent Saturday. God’s silence in our lives doesn’t help us experience Him…it causes us to doubt Him.

Maybe you have a relationship that has died. Maybe your job is in jeopardy. Maybe your marriage is on life support or maybe it has been in the tomb longer than three days. Maybe your financial situation seems beyond repair. Maybe uncertainty and doubt greet you in the morning and are the last things you feel before you go to bed. Maybe God’s silence in your life these days has allowed the voices of fear and anxiety to become loud.

Can I share a few thoughts with you on this Silent Saturday?

-Hopelessness always comes before a resurrection

-Sometimes our dream has to die before God can give birth to His vision

-When I think God has made His last move, it was really just the start of His movement in my life

-Sometimes God allows us to lose hope so we can can find our true hope in Him

-What we see as defeat, failure and loss He sees as an opportunity to demonstrate His power and His plan

-When I lose hope, it’s because I live in Silent Saturday and forget about Easter Sunday

Maybe today, you find your life somewhere between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Can I just encourage you that you are not in a season of defeat but a season of preparation. God’s silence today is in preparation for His resurrection tomorrow.

Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. Don’t forget that death is defeated. The grave is overcome and God speaks loudly as He brings things back to life.

Silent Saturday always comes before Resurrection Sunday.