Wednesday, March 31 Holy Week Day Six

A Silent Day in the Life of Jesus

Scripture Reading: Psalms 46

This is the one day of Holy Week of which Scripture has nothing to say. There is no record of Jesus’ activity at all. He is seemingly quiet and inactive. Some have speculated that He was certainly active that day, probably again in the temple, or busy healing, teaching, or engaged in dialogue in some venue in or near the Holy City. However, I am not so sure. While I know that John says at the end of His Gospel that Jesus did so much more than has been written, and in fact if all He did was written down there would not be enough volumes in all the world to contain them; silence at this point does not fit. Of all the scriptures we have concerning the life of Jesus, one third of them come from the last week of Jesus’ life. In other words, if there is a place in which the Gospel writers were careful to record every activity of Jesus, it was in those final days. Yet, Scripture records nothing.

I actually am not surprised and think it makes perfect sense. Repeatedly, Jesus is seen getting away by Himself, quiet and secluded, so He can listen to the Father’s voice that He knew so well. He was doing that before He selected His disciples and before He walked on the water and calmed the storm. I would not propose that in these moments He learned for the first time the Father’s will. Scripture would indicate that at least for most of His ministry, Jesus knew the cross was His destiny. What I would suggest, however, is that in those quiet moments of solitude, alone with the Father, Jesus was strengthened in His resolve, reminded of the joy that was set before Him, and assured of His Father’s approval, presence, and strength. I think that Jesus probably spent that Wednesday alone with the Father. The Last Supper was going to be grueling as He would identify His betrayer, confront Peter, and break the hearts of all the disciples. Gethsemane would wear Him down, the cross would wreak havoc on His weary body, and the Father’s abandonment at Calvary would leave Him crying in despair. This time in quiet communion with the Father, I believe sustained Him when His spirit was weak, His body was broken, and His soul was crushed.

We are too often afraid of quiet time, comfortable only in the noisiness and busy-ness of life. Might that be why we so often succumb when the pressure is on? Might that be why we are so quick to doubt the Father, question His plan, or abandon His purpose? Could it be that what we need more than anything is a day where no activity is recorded and no task is accomplished? Might we be more Kingdom-effective and purpose-focused if we too would “Be Still and Know that He is God?”

Prayer: Father, quiet my heart and let me listen to your reassuring voice. Help me to slow down and cease my busy-ness long enough to encounter Your love, be endued with Your strength, and embrace Your will.