Easter Week Devotion #7
Saturday, April 16
Luke 23:50-56
Jesus Is Buried
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Did Your Promise Fail?
By Holly Steiner
He’s gone…
Promises: gone.
Did He lie to us? What the heck was he talking about when he claimed to be “king of the Jews”?
Confusion.
Grief.
The enemy won. This whole thing was a failure. The prophetic words did not come to pass.
How did we miss it?
The disciples had been told (Matt. 20:18-19) that Jesus would be raised to life on the third day. Why didn’t they believe it?
I imagined how each of the disciples, family members, and friends of Jesus, with their different enneagram numbers, reacted to Jesus’ death and burial–
1s Reformers: “This just isn’t right! They killed the most moral man, the Son of God!
2s Helpers: “I have sacrificed so much for this “kingdom of God” thing! For what?!?! For nothing?
3s Performers: “This whole thing is a colossal failure!
4s Romantics: “Woe is me! Oh misery! How will I ever get out of this depth of despair?”
5s Investigators: “Man, what went wrong? I need to go back and study the manuscripts and my journal of all the things Jesus said. This doesn’t make sense.”
6s Loyalists: “Hide your kids! Hide your wives! They are coming for us next!”
7s Enthusiasts: “I’m outa here! Is there a party somewhere?” *Finds something to drown out their sorrow.*
8s Challenger: “I’m gonna kill Pilate! He’s lost his mind!! We will make him pay for what he has done!”
9s Peacemakers: *Agrees with everyone. Consoles everyone. Has compassion for Jesus.*
Perhaps you could relate to one of those when faced with disillusionment? We all respond to disappointment differently. What promises has God given you that you struggle to believe? Maybe you’ve gotten prophetic words that you have been waiting on for years or decades. If you’re like me, there may be times you aren’t sure what exactly His promises are. There are so many things that I thought were promises of God that didn’t happen and many of them never were His promises to begin with! Sometimes we put our hope in the wrong thing, and then we blame God when it doesn’t come to pass.
Isaiah 55: 8-9 says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
There is so much packed into the promises of God that we do not know about! “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
The only way we can have hope for the promises of God is to believe Him wholeheartedly and to trust Him, leaning not in our own understanding. The disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying to them about death and resurrection and the weight that all of it held. They did not understand the depth of the kingdom of God, nor do we. They had no idea what was about to happen: the glorious resurrection, the ascension into heaven, and the coming of the Holy Spirit, indwelling in them.
Take heart, my friend. He turns our mourning into dancing! He gives beauty for ashes! Greater things are yet to come!
Oh death, where is your sting!?!? Oh hell, where is your victory?!?!
1 Corinthians 15:51
Jesus, we thank you that death is not the end. Help us to process death in a healthy way, trusting you and surrendering to you. Awaken us to the life that comes out of death in our own lives. You are the resurrection and you are the LIFE!
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