"So and so got married."
"Her dad passed away."
"This person had a baby."
"He's in the hospital."
"They adopted a son."
"She got laid off."
"I've always loved you, I'm just now saying it out loud."
We live for the big moments... even crave them. Big moments are valuable, unforgettable. Whether good or bad, they keep us going. They determine the direction of our lives. They keep us from falling asleep in the movies or putting down a book or from simply getting bored of life.
Easter represents two REALLY big moments in the scheme of eternity; Jesus' death and resurrection. They cause us to cry bitterly and then to raise our voices in joy. These moments give us emotion and meaning. We repent when we remember what Jesus suffered on the cross. We praise when we remember His infinite power in rising again.
So what happens when we think of the awkward "in between?"
There are so many hymns and worship songs that speak of Christ's blood and of His resurrected life.
...Somehow, I don't remember singing much about His grave.
Throughout my life I have realized that I try to skip over this day in the Easter celebration. I ignored its existence. This is because the grave isn't a "big moment." Nothing monumental happens. Jesus is dead and everyone is left to go back to their old, normal lives. I had NO idea what to do with this day. How am I supposed to picture my God dead?
You see, we have the advantage. We know the end of the story. The disciples didn't.
Can you imagine that day for the disciples? For Mary? For everyone who watched Jesus perform miracles and believed? For those who begged Jesus to do something ...anything... to prove Himself as God by calling down His angels. Instead, He gasped for air and died?
Literally. God was dead.
Picture this for a second:
For a day, the Enemy won. Pilate washed his hands. The Roman soldiers proved their harsh authority and prevailed. The Sadducees and Pharisees smirked in satisfaction.
Everything the disciples lived for now meant nothing.
There was no reason for hope. They were now the laughing stock. The fools.
That must have felt like the longest day in history.
We don't like this day. This day is awkward for us. We always look forward to the next morning when we will put on our Sunday Easter best, drink our coffee and sing songs that feel good to forget about what happened today.
Again, we know how the story ends. 2,000 years ago they had no idea.
Still, this "small moment" is so necessary.
In a strange way, I find this day comforting.
Like me, there are those of you who have experienced real grief, real pain. You are walking around on this earth, looking up at the sky and asking, "God, where are you?"
The suffering in your life has happened. You have walked through the storm but there are still clouds and it's still cold and dark. You haven't seen the "light at the end of the tunnel." The storm was at least exciting. At least something was happening to you. It was a big moment, but now, nothing exists. There seems to be no good reason left to open your eyes in the morning. Your hope is gone.
Your resurrection hasn't happened yet.
We sing "My God's not dead, He's surely alive!", but I think sometimes we forget that He was actually dead for a day. I think sometimes we forget that other people still feel like God is dead even after seeing the movie... even after growing up in the church... even after knowing all the scriptures and all the right answers.
Those who believe He is dead can be devout atheists, and they can also be devoted Christians.
It might even be you and you don't even realize it.
Have you tried to ignore this day because you're afraid He might still not be alive in your life? Are you in between big moments?
Dear friend, you are not alone.
But you know what? This day is actually beautiful. You are allowed to grieve. You are allowed to scream His name and ask Him "Where are you?" You are allowed to break down in front of His grave tonight.
Unlike the disciples, tonight you have reason to hope. Tonight, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that joy comes in the morning. Your resurrection will happen. Your big moment is coming.
Because of this eternal hope, I'll no longer ignore the day that God was dead.
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