Black Saturday

On Thursday, my wife planted some seeds in the garden. So far, nothing has happened! Perhaps she should dig them up, and check that they are okay!

Of course, any gardener would be horrified at such a suggestion. Each seed may be in the ground, where it is dark and lonely. There may be no visible sign of anything happening. But most people are aware that there is much taking place, as that seed germinates, that we cannot see with the naked eye. However, in time, there will be green shoots appearing.  A work had been going on, even although we could not see it.

Today is the day referred to as “Black Saturday”. It is the day between Good Friday, and Resurrection Day (I prefer not to use the derivative of the name of a pagan ‘goddess’!). Yesterday, we remembered that, almost 2,000 years ago, the body of the Lord Jesus was laid in a tomb. A large stone was rolled across the entrance to the tomb. The stone was sealed. Inside the tomb, it was dark, and lonely. A guard was posted. They saw nothing.

Saturday, of course, is the Jewish “Shabbat”. It is a day when devout Jews refrain from any form of physical work.  But in the lonely darkness of the tomb, a work was going on, the result of which continues to reverberate throughout the world. Friday had gone; it was still only Saturday – but Sunday was coming!

In the relative darkness of the Covid-19 days in which we live, we may – indeed, we must – have hope. The One Who was in control 2,000 years ago, is still in control today. I don’t know exactly what was happening in that tomb on that Shabbat. I don’t know exactly what Almighty God is doing with this virus. What I do know, is that He is working – as surely as He was working those millennia ago; as surely as He is working on those seeds in our garden.

Jesus said; “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.” (John.16:32).

If you are truly “in Christ Jesus” (Rom.8:1), then the Father is with you also. However dark the day; however difficult the situation; however dismal the prospects; you are not alone. He, and He alone, is our Certainty, in uncertain times.

“Low in the grave He lay; Jesus, my Saviour. Waiting the coming day; Jesus my Lord.”

It was Saturday – but Sunday was still coming!