In Christian theology the three days that Jesus spent in the tomb are significant for the life of the church. Jesus suffered pain, suffering, and death on Friday; he lay dead in the tomb on Saturday; and he was raised to life on Sunday. His resurrection was a demonstration of the Spirit’s power over death.
The church exists in a similar state – our suffering is in the past, but our resurrection has not yet happened. For us, it is always Saturday. For the past 2000 years it has been perpetually Saturday. We live in an already-but-not-yet state between suffering and victory. In this state we learn patience, reliance on God, love fore one another, concern for the lost, but we also live by hope, anticipating our certain resurrection.
Over the past few days I have seen my own life through this paradigm. Every day is Saturday for me. Every day involves a gut-wrenching, coma-like state of waiting. I’ve been through the Friday of suffering and death, but every morning when I wake up, I feel sick when I see “Saturday” on the calendar of my subconscious imagination. But I know that Sunday is coming! One of these days I will wake up to a new dawn of a new day – a day of resurrection, new life, and hope for a bright future. Sunday is coming!!!
