Faith is often painted as a place to get answers, and yet I find the longer I have walked this life with Jesus the more questions I have. I have been reading the gospels again, and I am struck by how many questions Jesus poses to his followers and those he encounters along the way. Central to our faith is the value of asking questions and being curious.
As we finish this time of Lent, this time of travelling with Jesus to the cross, I am drawn to looking at the questions he asks and opening my heart to listen to what that question might illuminate in me today. Join with me as we journey to Easter and look at the questions Jesus asks.
Today with it being Easter Saturday, we focus on our questions.
Each devotion has a time for reflection and a prayer, you may wish to pause whilst you reflect.
Easter Saturday is the in between, the time of sorrow, and pain, and no answers. It is the time of death without the resurrection. It is uncomfortable. It is bleak. It is reality for a lot of us, at different times in life. It is the death of a loved one. The terrible diagnosis. The relationship breakdown. The unexpected betrayal. We all experience these things. We all wish we didn’t have to.
Easter Saturday doesn’t get much of a mention in the scriptures. It is noted in the statement, “Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” (Luke 23: 56)
These women were prepared, they were ready to go. They were ready to give Jesus the burial he deserved. They were looking for something to ease the pain they felt. They wanted to take care of their friend. And yet, they had to rest. They had to sit in the tension of being with the pain and not being able to do anything. It must have been gut-wrenching for them. They were there at the foot of the cross, they saw all that Jesus endured. And yet, they had to rest. They had to be with their pain, with their sorrow, and with the discomfort of not being able to do anything.
I am sure they had questions in this waiting time, I’m sure there were statements of shock, disbelief and anger. I’m sure there was grief, so much grief. I’m sure they were tender and hurting.
Reflection:
On this is Easter Saturday, is there a place where you are tender and hurting? Is there a place of disbelief and anger? Are you able to name that feeling? Can you sit with the discomfort? And as you sit is there a question that arises for you today? A question from you to Jesus? What would you ask him? Dare to ask the question. Either in your head, or spoken out aloud, or written down. And then sit. Resist the urge to do, and just sit with the question, the pain, the waiting, the tension, the uncomfortableness of this time.
Prayer:
As a prayer today I am sharing a poem from my first collection Blank Pages, titled “control”.
I know that you’re in control
but I’m finding it very hard to feel that
I know that this is all part of your plan
but I wish I knew where it was going
‘cause right now it looks like a mess to me
I’m frightened and scared and overwhelmed and worried and anxious
all those things you tell us not to be
when we trust in you
Lord I believe,
help my unbelief