Shalom from Galilee,
It’s Saturday morning after Passover. This year, just like 2000 years ago, we had a double sabbath. That leads me to thinking about what the disciples felt during that morning. We too as a family are mourning now. It is a feeling that is very personal and much familiar. For us as a family but to many more all around the world this is a Saturday morning to chose between two ways: 1) Trusting only the things we can see and leaning on them, or 2) Trusting God’s promises and, by exercising faith, leaning on the things we can’t see.
Mourning is not something to ignore or to skip. The Bible says to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
The Bible even suggests that there is “time to weep” and “time to mourn”. (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
But remember:
“Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5b)
Two thoughts I would like to share with you today:
1. Hold on to faith in the things you can’t see. Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29
2. Saturday morning’s “natural and reasonable” facts that He is dead and in the grave can, if we only exercise much endurance, patience, and perseverance, turn into Sunday morning’s “supernatural and beyond comprehension” facts that He is risen!
Let’s go through this Saturday focusing on the payment that was made for our sins. But let’s not forget to also await the Sunday morning promise of Jesus’ resurrection and Him being the firstfruit, so that we can also be enjoying this amazing “supernatural and beyond comprehension” hope and promise!
I will conclude with the words of the apostle Paul to the church in Thessaloniki:
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
I am mourning today.
But I have hope, and I hold on to His promise that He will return and receive me unto Himself so that where He is I will be also!
