Spiritual Limbo

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Opening Prayer

I thank You, Father, for Jesus’ readiness to suffer for my sake, for the redemptive passion that filled his heart.

Read LUKE 23:47-56

^[47] The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” ^[48] When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. ^[49] But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. ^[50] Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ^[51] who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ^[52] Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ^[53] Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ^[54] It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. ^[55] The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ^[56] Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Meditate

Let this verse guide your prayer today: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

Think Further

The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter makes me feel like I’m in spiritual limbo. Yesterday was a somber reflection on the cross; tomorrow will be a joyous celebration of the empty tomb; but today feels flat. In some ways this feeling reflects the reality we live with all the time as “Already–not yet” Christians, as John Stott puts it. We are those “who give equal weight to the two comings of Jesus … It is this combination of the ‘already’ and ‘not yet,’ of kingdom inaugurated and kingdom consummated … which exemplifies that balanced biblical Christianity which is so urgently needed today.”

This passage describes what happened immediately following the death of Jesus. Given what we know is coming, it would be easy to miss the significance of the eyewitness observations it contains: a centurion praising God, the crowd leaving the scene, faithful women standing at a distance, watching where the body was laid. The eyewitness factor gave the gospel accounts added credibility and Jesus’ followers uncommon conviction. “It is no moderate approbation of Scripture that it has been sealed by the blood of so many witnesses, especially when we reflect that they died to render testimony to the faith” (John Calvin).

The hero at this in-between moment is Joseph of Arimathea. Even though he was a member of the group that condemned Jesus, Luke describes him as “a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action” (50-51). It reminds us not to write off those who seem antagonistic to the Gospel: God may be working in ways unseen. How does Joseph respond to this time of spiritual limbo? By taking action. He talks to Pilate, wraps Jesus’ body and provides a decent burial for the Savior. The secret to getting out of spiritual limbo is to take the first step.

Apply

What practical action could you take today that would demonstrate that you too are “waiting for the Kingdom of God” (51)?

Closing prayer

Lord, I look forward to the coming of Your kingdom in all its fullness, yet I pray I will be Your faithful servant today.

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