In the Time of Not Yet

As His body was taken away, 

the women from Galilee followed 

and saw the tomb where they placed His body. 

They they went home and prepared 

spices and ointments to embalm Him. 

But by the time they were finished it was the Sabbath, 

so they rested all that day 

as required by the law. 

Luke 23:55 nlt

These women. These godly women who walked with Jesus and cared for His needs are such a great example for us. They watched as He died on the cross and followed Him still. They followed and served Him when  all seemed lost. 

Jesus came and He brought His Kingdom life with Him but it was not what anyone expected. They didn't know it but they were in the time of not yet, the time before the resurrection. We too live in a time of in-between. Jesus came but we are waiting for Him to come yet again. This too is a time of watching and waiting. So what shall we do? How can we live well in this time of not knowing what is around the next bend? We can do as these grief stricken, traumatized, confused women did. We can keep our eyes on Jesus and do the next step, whatever that may be. 

Their next step was to follow and see where His body was taken and then to go home and prepare spices to anoint His body. And then as the day drew to an end, they took time to do something really important. They observed the Sabbath and rested their weary bodies. They rested in spite of their pain. They rested in their confusion. They rested in their not knowing what was going to happen next. This is not always easy to do. It was a disciplined act of faith to rest from their work. The very next dawn would bring resurrection victory. Resurrection joy. Resurrection certainty but in the meantime they had no clue about what was about to happen. Yet they stilled and quieted themselves. 

It is no coincidence the in-between day between Jesus death and resurrection is the Sabbath. It is a great reminder that we can rest in Him no matter what is going on in our lives. Even in devastation and loss God's people can find rest, trusting He has all things well in hand. We can't control outcomes but we can settle our souls knowing God is good.

These women, not often mentioned in the gospels, set a stellar example for us. We too can serve Jesus in the midst of our trials, our uncertainty. We too can find rest as we follow Him, knowing this in-between time is temporary and God is good. There is more to this life than here and now, yet it is in the here and now we live. These women kept their eyes on Jesus and defaulted to living lives of service to Him as best as they could in spite of the seeming disastrous ending to His life.

There is much for me to learn on this Saturday of not yet, the in-between of Jesus' brutal death on Friday and His Resurrection on Sunday as I consider these women. Lord help me to be faithful to You, doing what You have given me to do in this time and place of my life. Help me to have the wherewithal to find rest in the midst of troubles that come my way. Help me as I trust You, Creator of heaven and earth. Let Your victory prevail in the lives of your children all over this desperate world. Let the message of Your love, of Your victory over death ring loud and clear, the message of hope that is for all peoples of every race and creed, every walk of life.

Lord, my heart is not proud;

    my eyes are not haughty.

I don’t concern myself with matters too great

    or too awesome for me to grasp.

 

Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,

    like a weaned child 
who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.

    Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—

    now and always.

Psalm 131 nlt