Silent Saturday

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Scripture

2Cor. 4:16   So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.  17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,  18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Observation

The day between Good Friday and Easter is Silent Saturday, and while Paul was not writing about this specific context, he understood what it meant to lose heart. There are moments in life where everything seems to overwhelm us and we become discouraged. Our outer nature, our physical bodies are in a process of wasting away. We are certainly aware of this in this Easter Season which is marked by COVID 19. Because of the frailties of our human bodies we are unable to gather together as God’s people. It feels as if we are in the silent season. 

Whether we are dealing with COVID or not, we become aware that our physical bodies have limitations. Little by little they no longer function the way they did in the past. Joints begin to ache and the mind just doesn’t work as quickly as it did. Vision may fade and hearing become more dull. Although we are living with this experience, we don’t need to linger too long in Silent Saturday, for while the outer nature may be slowing, the inner nature is “renewed day by day.”

This slight momentary affliction or day— this Silent Saturday is “preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.” The disciples could never have understood the ramifications of what was coming — Sunday! They were living in the affliction of Silent Saturday.

Paul encourages us to look beyond Silent Saturday, beyond the current afflictions, and onto that which “cannot be seen.” The sealed up tomb was what they saw on Silent Saturday. What they could not see was the eternal work being accomplished in Christ Jesus. What they had not yet experienced was resurrection power. There was more happening on Silent Saturday than any could have ever comprehended and so we are encouraged by the words of Paul and, “we do not lose heart.”

Application

We may be living in Silent Saturday for a prolonged period of time but Sunday is coming! This is our hope, the hope of what is unseen and the eternal.

Prayer

Lord, we wait in patience through our Silent Saturday. Amen.

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