On Saturday He Rested

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised  Matthew 16:21 ESV

We all know what happened on that first day, that terrible and blessed day on the cross. On the third day it is very clear that Jesus rose from the dead. But in spite of many ideas and even elaborate tales no one truly knows just what occurred on Holy Saturday. So can we ask the question, “What if Jesus simply rested? What if when Jesus said, “It is finished!” and gave His spirit into his father’s hands He just rested – without sorrow, suffering or demands of any kind for that day. What if after three and a half years of ministry in which it was said that he had nowhere to lay his head and scarcely time to eat that Jesus chose to rest in His Father’s ability to do all that needed to be done for the day.

close up photo of sleeping baby

Photo by Gianni Orefice on Pexels.com

What if Jesus rested because it was the Sabbath? What if the same day on which the creation of the heavens was completed Jesus just paused to see everything that was good in the new creation now begun? What if there are times in our own lives when there is nothing more holy to do than nothing? What if on this Holy Saturday we could quietly reflect and rest in the completed work of Jesus Christ. What would our lives be like if for even one day we simply trusted God to do all?

 

Barefoot on Holy Ground

Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5 ESV

I know that I have written twice on foot washing lately but the Lord gave me one more small truth to share.

Did you know that when God spoke to Moses, the first thing He asked him to do was to take off his sandals.? Holy ground is strange for us to think of but it is a place we should not walk in our own power. We could no more walk with muddy shoes into an operating room during surgery than to tromp into heaven with our shoes on.

But for us to walk barefoot before the Lord we must have our feet washed. And the soil from where we have walked can only be washed away by Jesus. Only He can prepare us to walk from this earth into His holy heaven. Simon Peter was horrified at the thought that Jesus wanted to wash his feet.

Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” John 13:8 ESV

Did you ever stop to think how amazingly humble our Savior is that He could choose to do such a thing? Has He washed your feet today? Would you humbly bow for a minute to pray and ask Him? Only He can make us ready to walk barefoot on His streets of gold!