The difference a day makes...

The tale of two day

It's the end of a great week of remembering what Jesus did for us....his death, his sacrifice, the resurrection and all that means to us. It's overwhelming if you think about the importance of these events. As I thought about the days around Friday and resurrection day it struck me that there are two days that are in complete contrast to each other.

The first day was Saturday. The day after the cross. It was a sabbath day. A time of rest, but a time of grief for Jesus' followers and probably the worse day of their lives. I can't imagine how they felt on that day as they thought through the last three years. The thoughts had to be about their hopes, their expectations. I'm sure they talked about it all. I can imagine the words, "but Peter, I thought he was the Messiah! How could he die like that? Were we fooled? What do we do now? Where do we go? What will the Jews do to us, we followed him for these last three years. How could the people vote for his crucifixion after he had done so much for them?" The questions had to be overwhelming, the discouragement, the depression must have felt like a dark cloud they couldn't escape.

But then Sunday happened. Jesus rose from the dead. It took nearly the entire day for the events of that morning to sink in. It wasn't until Jesus showed up in person that they finally understood....he was alive! And suddenly, in one day, everything changed.

Then comes the day that, as I thought about it, contrasts Saturday in a most dramatic way. Imagine these same men on Monday! Only one day between Saturday and Monday, but oh what a day that was! That day made all the difference. Imagine these same men on Monday. Smiles all around, giggles here and there, the cloud was gone, I'm sure the grief of Saturday was a distant memory. Now, in only a day, everything had changed. Now, in one day, all of humanity has changed. Hope was alive because Jesus was alive. One man changed everything in just a day....simply because he loved us.

As I think about this I realize this is still true today. The difference in our lives because of Jesus Christ is because, on a day in time he came to life in us. We trusted him and he saved us, forgave us, turned our sorrows into joy. In just a day everything changes and it's all because he loves us.

For me that day was December 8, 1964. It was an evening in church, but it was a day between darkness and light. What a difference a day makes, what a difference Jesus makes as he brings life into each of us as we trust him. What a difference a day makes!