Live in the Knowledge of a Steadfast God

 



Live in the Knowledge of a Steadfast God 

 

Scripture:  “Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me.” Exodus 20: 8a (TEV)

     “Then the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to allow them to break the legs of the men who had been crucified, and to take the bodies down from the crosses. They requested this because it was Friday, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses on the Sabbath, since the coming Sabbath was especially holy.” John 19: 31 (TEV)

 

Devotional Thought:  So here we are on the day between Good Friday and Easter. I never quite know what to do on this day sandwiched between grief and overwhelming joy. Should I still be solemn and reflective from the day before or should I start to express the joy of the day to come. It would seem it should be a quiet time and yet over the years I have probably spent most pre-Easter Saturdays busily getting ready for Easter --last minute preparations for church activities, practicing music, finishing Easter dresses, shopping for Easter dinner. Then feeling guilty that this all should have been completed earlier. I should have been more prepared. 

 

Then I think of the disciples. Jesus was buried quickly because the Sabbath was approaching. All had to be readied for the Sabbath observance – this particularly holy Sabbath falling within the Passover observance.  This day of rest dedicated totally to God, a pause to take time to worship God and rest in God. I wonder if in some ways they too said, “We should have been more prepared. We should have followed more closely. We should have served Jesus better. We should have listened more carefully.” I wonder if in their Sabbath observance if they also took time to remember the things Jesus had taught them and to make sense of it all. Did they wonder if Jesus would raise from the grave? Did they hope Jesus would be resurrected?

 

In some ways we live in this pre-Easter Saturday, as we await Jesus’ return. A longer than 24-hour Sabbath, a time to be dedicated totally to God. A lifetime to be given to God. I wonder how we can listen more carefully. I wonder how we can serve Jesus better. I wonder how we can follow Jesus more closely. I wonder how we can be more prepared for Jesus’ return.

 

Just as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day as he had said he would, the Kingdom of God will come with Jesus’ return because our God is steadfast. Will I be ready? Will you be ready? Will we be ready? 

 

Prayer:

Dear God, 

    This pre-Easter Saturday, help us to listen for your Kingdom.

    This pre-Easter Saturday, help us to be servants of your Kingdom.

    This pre-Easter Saturday, help us to prepare for the return of your son Jesus Christ.  

    This pre-Easter Saturday, may we live in the knowledge of a steadfast God.

Amen.

 

Thoughts for my younger friends after the scripture is read to them.

I wonder how you rest.

I wonder how you can rest and be dedicated to God.

I wonder how you can prepare for Jesus’ coming.

 

By Lynne Pabst, Certified Christian Educator

 

 




Comments

  1. JoyApril 3, 2021 at 9:15 AM

    Lynne, I always appreciate your “I wonder...” I think about them all day.

    ReplyDelete

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