‘Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the tomb secure with the guard, sealing the stone.’
Matthrew 27:65-66
There were two primary responses to Jesus among the people of influence in Israel. The dominant one was to oppose, suppress, and intimidate. None of this worked on Christ. It certainly worked on His followers for a time. Those on the fence were torn in two directions when Christ was crucified and buried. There was no middle ground with the situation. You were either with the Sanhedrin or you were with Christ’s followers. Joseph of Arimathea chose sides as did Nicodemus.
It was easier to choose the side of Christ when He was at the peak of His bodily influence. When Jesus was crucified and buried, it all seemed to come to an end. We know now that it was only the beginning, but at that time nothing seemed certain. What would be revealed in the moment of what seemed to the disciples to be God’s withdrawal is who loved Christ for Christ, rather than for His miracles, His amazing words, and the promise of His kingdom.
I find it convicting, asking the question, “when God seems distant, how do I respond?” I know inwardly how I feel and what I think. I know what I try to do, but I often find that I fall short in where I would like to be in my faith. The disciples were men just like us, were they not? The question is then; how do we advance into the fulness of faith?
In the last ten years of my walk the thing the Lord has drawn my attention to over and over is one simple question: what do you reach for when crisis hits? We are self-taught by instinct to grasp for help when the world comes flying apart. I used to grasp for my friends’ opinions, a bottle of rum, and short-lived romantic relationships. While it is true that safety is had in an abundance of wise counsel, the counsel first has to be wise. Over time, I realized that, like the disciples, I had completely misread situations because I lacked discernment. I had failed because my efforts were centered in me.
It’s easy to fall into the habit of self-reliance. Our entire culture preaches it loudly, from advertising to movies to a lot of “Christian” culture. We are drowning in a focus on ourselves, on our flesh. Here’s a quick temperature test: think about the last great personal accomplishment in your own life. Now, ask yourself who you gave credit for that. Are you grateful to yourself for your hard work and mental competence that got you there? Most of the world would tell you to get busy celebrating yourself. Stop for a second and ask this simple question: did you make the mind you wield? Did you create the very concept of perseverance? No. All good we do flows from our connection to the very character of God, so whatever glory we receive should be passed back to the one who makes us able!
What is the point of all of this? Why am I going on about how God is the one who provides? Let’s walk back to the disciples’ moment of darkness. When Jesus body was buried, what power of their own did they have left to continue the mission Jesus had sent them on? NONE. What hope in their own abilities did they have? None! And here, here is the crux of the matter: if they had seen past their own flesh, they never would have worried in the first place. Jesus had already told them what would happen. The crisis was not a crisis. It was God’s provision! How often do we fall into that same trap? How often do we miss God’s provision in a moment that appears a crisis simply because we failed to hear, failed to appreciate what was already done, things we had already received and experienced?
We are no better than they were at that time in any place we fail to seek the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not be in want, and because He is my shepherd I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever! The more I think on this, the more I reflect on what He has already done, the more I give thanks the more my faith grows. I hope you will take a moment this weekend to count all of the blessings across the years of your life, the things God has already done for you so that you may experience the goodness of God within your very soul.
Count your blessings, indeed.
