Passion Week: Saturday

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared the spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."
(Luke 23:55-56)

It was Saturday, the day after Jesus had been crucified and was laid in the tomb as the women who were with him observed all that had happened. Friday would have been considered the day of preparation for the Jews since Saturday was the Sabbath. So, after the women watched their Savior crucified and laid in the tomb, they went home to prepare spices and perfumes that were customary for burial. They would need to finish this by Friday, to keep Saturday, the Sabbath holy. (Exodus 20:8).

As we know, the women did not return to the tomb until Sunday. But what were they doing on Saturday? As Luke 23:56 states, they were resting. I think we can learn from these ladies by taking today, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday to rest in the Lord. We can rest by reflecting on the amazing love Jesus has for us, and how He proved that love by dying on the cross for every sin we’ve ever committed or will commit. We have the advantage of knowing how the story ends, so we can rest in the hope we have in Jesus, no matter what our circumstances may be.  

Saturday is not a Sabbath day for most of us. This Saturday may involve preparing for a family dinner on Easter, getting baskets ready for kids, doing laundry, and running errands, but what if we took 20-30 minutes before the busyness began and rested with the Lord by sitting in quiet reflection of what the cross means for us and gratitude for the hope it has given us?