Holy Week Meditations: A God Who Is Present even in Silence

My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
O my god, I cry by day, but Thou dost not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
Yet Thou art holy,
O Thou who art enthroned upon the praise of Israel.
Psalm 22:1-3 NASB

On Holy Saturday, Silent Saturday, we remember this truth — God IS there. Even when He is silent.

A GOD WHO IS PRESENT, EVEN WHEN HE IS SILENT.

Saturday must have been a long day for those women longing to go to the tomb, the normal tasks that kept life busy and minds occupied left undone as they waited for Sabbath to end.

I wonder what they felt that day as they ate food prepared before Sabbath began, walked on unswept floors, and wandered through a quiet house. I wonder, if Mary, the mother of Christ, knew the presence of God that day?  I wonder if she begged for another angel to appear, another messenger to explain what had happened.

Friday was loud.  The crowds crying for His death.  The soldiers mocking His authority.  The hammer slamming into the spikes on His hands and feet. The ground splitting as earth felt heaven’s agony.  Friday was loud.

But Saturday was silent.  

Not one word in Scripture about Saturday.  The disciples were holed up, hiding in fear.  The women pacing, waiting to tend to Jesus’ dead body.   The earth quiet … mourning the loss of the One who spoke it into existence.

But friends, I have good news, a promise for us all,

God is there even when He is silent.

We can trust in that … always.

Friday was loud.

Saturday was silent.

But Sunday … Sunday is coming.

Read the Psalms this summer with Scripture Dig!

Comments

    • Thank you, Stacey. This post has weighed on my heart … Saturday often gets lost in egg hunts, meal prep, and the busy-ness of getting ready for Sunday. But I just cannot imagine what that Saturday felt like – Jesus was gone. Their hope buried in a tomb and because of the Sabbath requirements, they had nothing to keep their hands busy, minds distracted. Saturday has always seemed the darkest day to me here on earth.

  1. Teri, we were just talking about this a bit at our Beth Moore Revelation study this week — about how God uses the “silence”, how we have to wait to know what we are missing, how we must LONG for what we do often do not know, and then God bursts forth with His glorious answer.

  2. What a remarkable contemplation for Easter. I love these words of the Psalm you included: yet, Thou art holy….

    My mind is swirling with thoughts now laid upon my heart. Thank you for this, today.

    • Thank you, Amy, for joining me in this small space today. I have read and re-read that Psalm countless times this Lenten season {and over the years} and those words you mentioned, “YET, Thou art holy …” Is there a more hope-filled phrase in all of Scripture. No matter what happens, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how I feel, no matter what seems to be going on, I can rest in the truth: He is holy no matter what.

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