From the Edges – Saturday is Silent – a morning devotional

From the Edges – Morning Devotions
Pastor Calvin Cook
LENT – SILENT SATURDAY
Scripture focus – Matthew 27:61-64 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. 62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”

Saturday was silent. Not much was happening, except the ones who had made the mistake were prepared to cover up the mistakes that they had made.

The faithful were watching – positioned so that they could and would be willing to protect that which they had lost. But did the faithful even believe that the resurrection would take place. Certainly, the Roman’s did as they wanted nothing to happen that would weigh in to the fact that prophecy was being fulfilled, thus the reason for the posting of the guards.

We silently wait. Wait at the death of something good, hoping, praying that there will be resurrection and what is resurrected will be better, stronger, bolder than before. This would be the case with the resurrection of Jesus. Silently the disciples and beloved of Jesus waited. Silently this morning we wait to realize with all our heart a new resurrection of God’s love in our heart. When will the waiting be over? When we surrender and patiently wait for the new thing that God wants to do in our life that springs forth from the power and presence of being born anew into the Spirit of the living God.

Charles Wesley’s reflections on Matthew 27 says it best for me. Especially these two lines:
“Stationed by my Redeemer’s grave, waiting for his power to save. Adhering to his word. I prove my firm fidelity, Concealed with Him I cannot see, and buried with my Lord.”
“To all who watch his sepulcher, Jesus shall again appear, His faithful followers know; The Head shall bid the members rise, and draw us after to the skies, And seat us on his throne.”

My final words and thought in the silence of this Saturday morning are “Somebody did it for me”. “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy” – I feel there is about to be a resurrection.