All's Quiet... or is it?

This past weekend was Easter.  I remember reading lots of Facebook Statuses and Tweets on Twitter on Good Friday about the Crucifixion.. and many saying Sunday's Coming!  All true and all good.

And I knew on Easter Sunday I would be reading lots and lots of comments on His Resurrection and being alive. Again.. all true and all good!  But what about the day in-between?

There really isn't anything said about that Saturday in the Bible. We know it was a Sabbath day, so we can assume the Jews were observing the Sabbath.  We know Jesus' followers were hiding.. scared.. no doubt confused and troubled.

But again, the Word is quiet about that time and so it would be easy to assume everything was quiet.. God was not working.. Jesus was in the tomb.. all work had ceased.  But of course, that is not true. God never sleeps nor slumbers. (Ps. 121:4)  He is always at work. And He was that day.

We know a lot happened while Jesus was in the grave. We know He overcame the power of sin, death and hell. How.. we don't know the details.. and we don't need to know.  Bottom line... things were happening.. things on the Spiritual realm that we could not see.

And how I praise God they were happening!

And still happen!

We all have "good Friday" moments in our life.. when someone "bad" happens.. something that overwhelms us.. something outside our human capacity to cope.. and when we are in those situations, we are looking for answers.. a way out.. results. And for whatever reason, we often have times after the "good Friday" event where it seems God is quiet... nothing is happening.. we are just coasting in our anguish.  But guess what? OUR GOD does not sleep!  He is at work.. always!  And He has not forgotten us.  There is a Resurrection Sunday coming for us and our situation... it may not be this side of heaven.. it may not look the way we thing it should look.. but it is coming.. God has made a way... He is at work. We need only wait and trust that even when it is "Saturday" and we are scared and troubled and it seems we are alone, we are not. Our God is working in ways we cannot comprehend.. doing what is best for us and for His kingdom.

Emmanuel at Easter

I am reading through Walter Wangerin's Lenten devotional book, Revive the Passion.  (I recommend it highly, along with his Advent devotional, Preparing for Jesus.) A recent day's reading started with Mark 14:53-65.  In this powerful passage of Scripture, we see Jesus at the home of the high priest. "They all condemned Him as deserving death.  And some began to spit on Him and to cover His face and to strike Him, saying to Him, 'Prophesy!' And the guards received Him with blows."  It is gruesome and should be overwhelming as we read how our Lord was treated because of our sin.

As I finished reading these verses, a song started playing in my mind... It is a Christmas song on Casting Crowns' "Peace on Earth" CD. It was my favorite song this past Christmas season. The part resonating in my mind goes "Love is raining down on the world tonight, there's a presence here I can tell. God is with us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel.  He's the Savior we have been waiting for. In our humble hearts, He will dwell. God is with us. God is for us. God is with us, Emmanuel."

It seems odd to be singing a Christmas song as Easter is approaching... as the focus is on the Cross not the Manger.. and yet...

At Christmas those words are wrapped up like swaddling clothes around a tiny baby in a manger -- hope personified -- all pretty and sweet and real.

As I look towards Easter.. towards Calvary and the Crucifixion of that sweet babe grown to manhood, those words are still true. They are now nailed to a cross with a battered and bleeding Savior. In fact, in some ways I believe they fit at Easter more than at Christmas.

As Jesus hung on the cross, God's wrath rained down on Him and yet love... true love... God's love.. rained down on the world. On me... on you... on all who ever has been and ever will be...No doubt the presence of God was there.. No doubt He was still Emmanuel on that Cross... "God with us" was crucified -- willingly for our sins.  That is a gut wrenching thought for me.. and it should be for you.

He was at that moment beaten and bare.. bruised... abused... dying and yet still the Savior the world was waiting for... He is still that Savior today.  THE Only Savior and many in the world continue to wait for Him... some who don't realize He has come and those of us who await His final triumphant return.  God does now dwell in our hearts through the Holy Spirit -- Emmanuel is real today -- He is God with us and He lives in those who choose to Believe!