And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

Mark 15:46

Jesus was dead. His body had been taken down from the cross and wrapped in a linen shroud. It had been placed in a tomb and sealed shut. Now the Sabbath, the day of rest, had begun.

Jesus’ friends were in shock. They hadn’t been able to say good bye to their master, their teacher, their would-be savior. They couldn’t even properly prepare His body for burial. Everything had happened so quickly, and now everything was happening so slowly.

The wait as the hours ticked by must have seemed interminable. When the Sabbath was over, they would be able to minister to His body. They could show Him the respect He deserved. But for now, all they could do was wait – and grieve.

If only the disciples had remembered what Jesus had predicted when He told them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31).

Their waiting would have been so much more endurable if they had realized how short the wait would be.
As you wait for Jesus to deliver you from your time of heartache or pain, remember His promise to you. He died to give you life, and He will keep His promise. Just wait.

Your waiting will be much more endurable when you realize just how short your wait will be.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You that Your time in the tomb was short, and Your victory was soon to come. In our time of waiting, help us to trust that You will see us through, and to rejoice in Your victory.

Daily Reading: Mark 15:42-47

– Contributed by Pastor Stephen Moser