In Between

Have you ever thought about the 24-36 hours in between Christ's death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Sunday?  I've been thinking about that today.   My friend Jenny's memorial service is today.  We will mourn her loss but celebrate the fact that she is with Jesus now and we will one day see her again.   Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Jenny's permanent address is in paradise--how wonderful is that?

I've often praised God for allowing me to live after the cross and not before.  Not because of modern conveniences (the toilet is nice :-)) but because I have the Holy Spirit indwelt.  In the Old Testament and even during Jesus' time only certain people had the Spirit of God come upon them.  Today, we all have that privledge.  Can you imagine trying to live under the Levitical laws?  If you are not familiar with them I enourage you to read Leviticus.  I'm certain you will praise God that He chose to allow you to live after the cross.

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit in John 14:15-17--“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

But think about the disciples and those that followed Jesus for three years that acknowledged He was the Son of God who came to save the world.  Can you imagine the devastation they must have felt?  Although Christ had told of His death, burial and resurrection I don't think they could have fully comprehended at the time.  We know differently.  So how do we (you and I) spend this Saturday?  Are we praising God for His plan of salvation?  Are we praising Christ for His obedience (even to death) so that we might not only share eternity with Him but have the Holy Spirit indwelt within us to have intimacy now.

Jesus explained in John 14:6 ....“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

As we spend this day 'in between' meditate on the sacrifice and love Christ bestowed on us and give Him praise and honor for His obedience to the Father.