10 Days of Easter: Day 6

*All of the material was provided and put together by those at YM360. We just put together the pretty pictures.*

Truth from the Bible: Many times in the Bible things seem most hopeless in the moments just before God breaks through.
What do I do with it?: You'll think about what this narrative teaches you about having hope when you face situations that seem hopeless.

Remember this scene? If not, take a look:




It's probably a top 10 on your bad day list when you are fighting the most evil man in the universe in a light saber battle only to find out he's also your dad! It gets worse. Darth Vader proceeds to lop off Luke's arm with his red saber. All appears lost for Skywalker as he falls deep down into a disposal chute only to end up clinging to a weather-vane on the underbelly of Cloud City.

What happened next?

Hans Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon, shows up just in time to retrieve an exhausted Luke. If you're a fan of the Star Wars trilogies, then you'll know the rest of the story. (If not, YouTube or Google it!)

In Matthew 27:55-66, Jesus has been crucified and is soon to be buried. Spend a few moments reading the account.

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.  “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”  So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
-Matthew 27 (NIV)

Think about your darkest day. It probably still hurts to think about it. Take your memory one step farther by thinking about how God was there for you on that painful day.

Spend some time writing a prayer giving thanks to Jesus for giving you hope when you felt most hopeless.