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#DailyDevotion Jesus Experiences The Tomb For Us


#DailyDevotion Jesus Experiences The Tomb For Us

Introit Psalm 88:1, 6-7, 8c-9 O LORD God, You can save me. During the day I call, and at night I’m before you. 6 You put me in a deep pit, in dark and deep places. 7Your anger lies heavily on me; with all Your waves You overwhelm me. 8I am shut in and can’t get out. 9My eyes get weak with grief. Every day I call You, O LORD, and spread out my hands to You.

On Holy Saturday, just as our LORD rested from all his works of creation, so too our LORD Jesus Christ rested in the tomb. This Psalm is his prayer as he looks forward to the third day. Jesus looks the LORD God his heavenly Father to save him from the grave. He has put Jesus in the deep pit, in the dark and deep places. Death is the expression of God’s anger upon us for our sins and Jesus lays still in death in the cold, dark tomb. There he is shut in and cannot leave until the day foretold. During this time he calls out to the LORD and spreads out his hands in prayer to the Father.

Much of this Psalm commends us to Christ in the tomb. 4“I’m counted with those who go down to the pit and am like a man without strength. 5Like those that are slain, I join the dead who lie in the grave.” Indeed, by all accounts Jesus is considered dead and has gone to his fathers by both his enemies and his friends. What strength do we see of Jesus. His body just lays there and it can do nothing.

The Psalmist continues his prayer, 14“Why do You reject me, O LORD, and hide Your face from me? 15I’ve been suffering and close to death from my youth. I have endured Your terrors — I’m bewildered. 16Your blazing anger swept over me; Your terrors have destroyed me. 17All day long they surrounded me like a flood and attacked me from all sides. 18You have removed from me anyone who might love me or be a friend. The friend I know is – darkness!” He enemies told Jesus to call on God to save him. God leaves him on the cross to die. From the time he was born the world was opposing him, trying to kill him. In the last days before and during his crucifixion all his enemies came out of the woodwork and attacked Jesus on every side. All of his friends abandoned him and one of them betrayed him so he could be killed. Now in the depths of the earth his only friend is darkness and darkness had been wanting to extinguish his life and it appears he has won.

Jesus prays, 13“But I call to You for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes to You.” Yes early that first day of the week, the third day Jesus opens his mouth an calls for help and his prayer enters the Father’s ears and he hears. He raises Jesus from the dead never to die again. His anger is set aside. The atonement for the sin of the world is satisfied. Sin, death and the power of the devil had been overcome. Now all who trust in Jesus are freed from their power over them. In baptism we enter Jesus’ rest in the tomb and come out more than conquerors. We arise alive as the heirs of God and his kingdom.

Merciful God and Father, even as you did not leave your Son Jesus Christ in the tomb but raised him to everlasting life, so too call us from our graves that may live with Jesus in his kingdom unto life everlasting. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

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