He’s dead. After willingly giving up His own life through the brutal act/process of crucifixion, and in the last seconds through a willing gesture, He decided to die. I reflect on the journey of the disciples and their unbelief and how closely it matches mine at times. It gives me reassurance and hope that the disciples walked with Jesus and continually forgot His promises, doubted His words, and lost faith in the man they gave their lives to follow. How much doubt circled around on Saturday? It’s easy to see the death, know the promise, and doubt that resurrection is on the horizon.

We know that people say things will happen but when they do, sometimes it surprises us. Jesus foretold His death, but seeing it happen and Him dying is different than hearing it. The physical brutality, the death, the sorrow, the crying- all made it real. Then you see Joseph of Arimathea asking for His body, Nicodemus preparing it with custom burial spices, and the wrapping of His body in linens. Followers see this as proof that He’s dead and only solidify that the Savior is gone. How much doubt circled?

It’s one thing when our loved ones pass on, but then arranging the pickup of the body with the funeral home, making service arrangements, family and friends sending flowers, and organizing the family sometimes make shock turn into more of a permanent reality. I’m sure the disciples felt these same feelings.

This is a day of waiting for those that believe in Him. This mimics what we go through in life. We experience a horror or trauma and forget that the promise of God waits on the other side. The time between the death and resurrection of Jesus is like the days, weeks, and months we sometimes wait for God’s will/promises to come to fruition. Find comfort in the discomfort knowing that God’s covenants remain and that He is always with us.

Here is the scripture between Crucifixion and Resurrection. May it bless you and remind you that although the anticipation sometimes feels physical, God’s promises for His people are just a day away. Thank you Jesus!

³¹ Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³² So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; ³³ but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. ³⁶ For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

³⁸ After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. ³⁹ Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. ⁴⁰ So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴² Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. – John 19: 31-42