A Dark Sabbath

John 19:31-42

Just as Christ once rested in the stern of a boat through a raging storm, His lifeless body lay in the tomb as storms raged within His disciples. A day after they saw Jesus die, their minds must have been filled with an endless cycle of fear, doubt, and grief. Memories of life with Him must have played there, too: how it felt to stand upon a rolling sea, to feed thousands with a few loaves and a couple of fish, to see a demon-possessed man restored to himself and his community, and to see Lazarus walk out of his tomb.

The disciples’ feeble faith shouldn’t surprise us because, if we’re honest, we’re at times the same way. Those “of little faith,” as Jesus often called them, failed to believe or recall things the Lord said of Himself—especially that He’d lay down His life and take it up again. Had His followers held these things in their hearts, that Sabbath day might have been a time of joyful anticipation.

At times in our life, God may seem absent, but ultimately we know He will never leave us (Heb. 13:5). When we are tempted to rely on our own solutions, we need to recall the wonder-working power of Christ’s resurrection. If we are willing to wait through the darkness of night, we can rest in the knowledge that morning will surely come.

Bible in One Year:1 Kings 15-17