Today, as we pray our way through the week of Easter, we find ourselves on Saturday.

We know that Jesus was crucified on Friday, and he was resurrected on Sunday.

But Saturday was a day of darkness. Saturday was a day of discouragement from the followers

of Jesus. It never ceases to amaze me that even though he told his followers and his disciples,

I'm going to be killed, but I'm going to be raised on the third day. They didn't believe it. And here on this Saturday,

which was Sabbath in their Jewish culture and tradition, was supposed to be a day of rest,

but they were not resting. They were worried. They were anxious. They didn't know what was going to

happen. And truthfully, we don't know what Jesus went

through in those moments of death. One verse tells us he went down to hell and rescued the keys and took

the keys of death from Hades. We don't know if that was metaphor or if that was poetic, but we know

what his disciples were going through

and his disciples were feeling isolated and alone and hopeless. Do you find yourself struggling with

anything that feels like there is a death, a dream that has died, a relationship that has shattered, a hope that is no more.

Jesus can relate.

In fact, Psalm 23 in verse 4, is even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me,

your rod and your staff.

They comfort me.

So right now, as we take moments to pray together,

if you can close your eyes,

and I want you to think about something that feels like a death to you.

Or maybe it feels like a disappointment.

...