Silent Saturday

Etymology. 

The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg (hālig "holy" + dæg "day"). The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days away from work or school.

Passover was the religious holiday they were celebrating until the people saw Jesus as He carried the cross through the town.  It was not "special" or restful or relaxing to see the blood dripping in pools around His beaten body.  How could anyone rest or relax as they heard the sound of the nails being pounded into His hands and feet.  How could anyone eat as they watch and heard all the commotion that came from such an event.  Yet we kind of do that when we watch sport figures try to take the players down by slamming their bodies into them in football. Hey a hot dog and coke goes real good when a face gets bloody in a boxing match.  Not a whole lots has changed since Jesus hung on the cross.  Everyone was in town for the Passover so why not add a few Crucifixions to  the religions holiday.  


It's Friday and Sunday 's coming is the best message of hope ever preached.  So much hustle and bustle about a secular Easter, new clothes, shoes, candy, that the soberness of what took place on the cross and the tomb gets crowded out.    Most of the people left after Christ was taken down and buried in the tomb but I am so glad God did not. He had a valuable lesson to teach us with a silent Saturday .  Max Lucado can say it so much better than I can, so the below  is from him.  

Max Lucado says ,  Easter weekend discussions tend to skip Saturday. Friday and Sunday get the press. The crucifixion and resurrection command our attention.  For His reasons, God inserts a Saturday between our Fridays and Sundays.   

Don’t ignore Saturday.  You have them, too.

Silent Saturdays.  The day between the struggle and the solution; the question and the answer; the offered prayer and the answer thereof.

Saturday’s silence torments us.  Is God angry?  Did I disappoint him? God knows Jesus is in the tomb, why doesn’t He do something?  Or, in your case God knows your career is in the tank, your finances are in the pit, your marriage is in a mess. Why doesn’t He act?  What are you supposed to do until He does?

You do what Jesus did.  Lie still.  Stay silent.  Trust God.  Jesus died with this conviction: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” (Acts 2:27 NIV).

Jesus knew God would not leave him alone in the grave.  You need to know, God will not leave you alone with your struggles.  His silence is not his absence, inactivity is never apathy.  Saturdays have their purpose. They let us feel the full force of God’s strength. Had God raised Jesus fifteen minutes after the death of His son, would we have appreciated the act? Were He to solve your problems the second they appear, would you appreciate His strength?

 “Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord” (James 5:7 NKJV