The Day Before the Answer

              It's Saturday, the day between Good Friday, marking the crucifixion, and Easter, marking the resurrection.

I've always been intrigued by this short window of time, before the disciples believed.  We don't know exactly what they were doing, but I think we can surmise from John's account of the day of the Resurrection that this day was probably much like the day Jesus arose from the grave and conquered death.

John tells us that the disciples were hiding, afraid of the mobs, Romans, and religious leaders that had just killed their Master.


They hadn't yet been given hope.  




They were mired in despair and fear.  









And though I am sure I will talk about hope and more tomorrow, today I feel it is important to remember what Jesus saved us from.

Fear.

Pain.

Worry.

Sickness.

Death.

Damnation.

Hopelessness.

Purposelessness.

I know that I have encountered these horrors in my life.  I haven't died, or been lost forever in Hell, but I've lost loved ones, and I've known people who have passed away who I'm not sure made the decision to follow Jesus.  All the others are common to what people call the human condition.  It's not the Creator's desire for this to be the case, but like I've been blogging about, we--individuals, mankind as a whole, even creation--need redemption.

And, lest we take this gift for granted, sometimes we need to remember what life without a Messiah was like.  

Lord, help me to remember not only what You paid, but WHY You paid it.  You didn't just offer "fire insurance," you offered life in this time and place.  Thank You SO much for what You have done.