Recently I’ve read a few articles about Easter Saturday, and when something crosses my path more than once it is cause for pause. Easter Saturday…a dismal day in the life of the grieving apostles who had no idea they would soon be so amazed on Sunday…even though Jesus had told them He would rise again. And would we have been any different?

Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”  ~Luke‬ ‭24:6-7‬

Before the reminder, I’m pretty sure they were not singing ‘Hallelujah for the Cross’ that Saturday. And, I must admit, it is an odd day for us in the twenty-first century as well, even though we know about Sunday. But if anyone felt the full depth and thrust of that Saturday long ago, it was Jesus Himself. I’ve heard a few opinions addressing what Jesus did during that time, but for simplicity sake let’s just say it was the day in between…in between death and life.

What is in between? For us it is nothing, we are either fully alive or fully dead. However, we can be living and feel dead inside. Maybe you’re there today…only, as with the apostles, instead of feeling like one day, it seems like an eternity. A dream has died…you’ve lost your job, your family is falling apart, you’re falling apart, you’ve lost a loved one, your health is failing, you’ve fallen back into an addiction , your house is in foreclosure, the lease is up on your car, you have a wayward child, or maybe, just maybe you are lonelier than you’ve ever been in your whole life. Easter Saturday touches us all.

But then, oh yes then…we must not forget Easter Sunday! The stone rolled away, the grave clothes lay flat, the tomb is empty…our Savior is alive! This fact, and this fact alone, is what gets us through every Easter Saturday in our lives. Because He lives, we can put every broken dream into His most capable hands. We can trust Him with every person, problem and situation…our jobs, families, deepest grief, health, addictions, finances, possessions, wayward children, and yes, even our own loneliness.

When my dad – my earthly hero, my Superman – died, that Easter Saturday lasted quite a while…until one day when the God-side of the plan arose and shined forth. Through my very emptiness, The Father of all time revealed Himself to me in a whole new light. I had a wonderful earthly dad, and his loss left a huge void, but God is an AMAZING Father!!! And I have to say this…HE is a way better Dad than my earthly father could ever be. He has used the grief, the void, the emptiness to draw me closer to Himself…closer to Jesus…than ever before! And of course, it is that first Easter Sunday that offers us the hope of seeing our loved ones again, so I hold on to hope, I hold on to Jesus. Where else can I go?

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ ~John‬ ‭6:68‬

As with Simon Peter, I have no need to look any further because the cross was not the end, nor was Easter Saturday…not then, not now. Easter Sunday is a REALITY! And we can truly thank and praise God for the cross, the tomb and Easter Saturday because we know what happened on Easter Sunday! In light of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Living Savior, we can confidently say (and sing) “Hallelujah for the Cross!”

I hope you enjoy today’s video offering… Hallelujah for the Cross by the Newsboys…

Hallelujah for the Cross by The Newsboys (Lyrics)

Up to the hill of Calvary
My Savior went courageously
and there he bled and died for me
Hallelujah for the cross

And on that day the world was changed
A final, perfect lamb was slain
Let earth and heaven now proclaim
Hallelujah for the cross

[Chorus:]
Hallelujah for the war He fought
Love has won, death has lost
Hallelujah for the souls He bought
Hallelujah for the cross

What good I’ve done could never save
My debt too great for deeds to pay
But God, my Savior, made a way
Hallelujah for the cross

A slave to sin, my life was bound
But all my chains fell to the ground
When Jesus’ blood came flowing down
Hallelujah for the cross

[Chorus]
Hallelujah, hallelujah
And when I breathe my final breath
I’ll have no need to fear that rest
This hope will guide me into death
Hallelujah for the cross

[Chorus x2]
Hallelujah for the cross
Hallelujah for the cross

http://www.metrolyrics.com/hallelujah-for-the-cross-lyrics-newsboys.html

All Scripture quoted from NIV® Copyright 2000 by Biblica, Inc.®

©Celebrate His Love, 2017