I imagine the Day After the Crucifixion of Christ may have felt to be the longest day of His disciples’ lives. While Jesus was still alive and even as He hung dying on the cross, I think they still “held out for a miracle.” But when He took His last breath and the spear was thrust through His heart, it must have crushed the disciples as they buried Him just as any ordinary man.  Following the rush of turmoil and violence on Crucifixion Day, in the stillness of the Sabbath, I can imagine the despair and disappointment, the death of every expectation and hope. Whatever plans the disciples had for “ruling and reigning” in Jesus’ Kingdom on earth had come to an end.  I might have packed up to go home to Emmaus, too. 

But that day was the True Sabbath. “It is Finished” was the cry. All the Work had been done. What was once ruined was now restored. What was once off-limits to man Jesus opened the way. We now rest in His Finished Work and wait for His Promised Resurrection. But the day must have seemed so long. And the thing that Jesus said again and again about “rising on the third day” was just incomprehensible to the disciples. The words did not compute.

On a much smaller scale in significance is our longest days. It seems we are constantly brought to “death” experiences where we’ve watched something in us or in our lives come to a brutal end. Though we have heard and received a promised word that everything will work out for good, we can’t even imagine how the promise will be fulfilled. How, Lord? But we have an advantage over the disciples since we know what happened on the Third Day. There IS the overcoming over death! He IS the resurrection and the LIFE! While man rested, Christ overcame. So, while we can’t see with our physical eyes what our enthroned Savior is doing as He rules over all, we choose to put our confidence in Him. That is faith. And though we have experienced how Jesus works things out in un-thought-of ways in the past, we seem to still struggle with it in present trials.

So how do we approach our present longest day experience when have heard His word and have not yet seen the demonstration of God’s power? Seize the opportunity. Once the Third Day dawns, the opportunity for faith comes to an end for Christ appears! He is the author and finisher of faith. It will all be turned into sight! So, today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart! Today is the day for salvation — in faith. We may be considered fools by the world for giving ourselves to Him in response to His call, but we have everything to gain and we have gained everything. By faith, the Spirit is indeed make real to us the unseen Christ in Whom is all our hope. He brings to an end our vain efforts and worrying and reveals and makes real to us what He has already done. 

Dear Lord, we repent of our unbelief, we turn from the world and our own ways and turn to You. You suffered and died on the Cross that my sins my be forgiven. You rose from the grave because you are the Son of God. In view of your soon Return, have Your way in me. Help me to walk in your ways and fulfill in me all that is in Your heart. And without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Our opportunity for faith will end when Christ returns. Will He find us faithful?