The Day Between | Lent Devotional Day 46

Exploring the Meaning of Jesus’ Death
April 4, 2026
Written by: Megan Hall

The Day Between

Scripture:

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.
(Matthew 27:59–61)

Reflection:

I think often about how the disciples must have felt that day.

They had just watched their friend die an agonizing death. I imagine that until his body was taken down, they were still hoping for a miracle.

But there wasn’t one.

They went home numb. Grief-stricken. Confused. The One who had healed, delivered, restored, and loved so fiercely was now silent behind a stone.

They had dared to dream of a different kind of kingdom. A new society where the last were first and the broken were made whole. And now the One who ushered it in was gone.
I’m sure they felt the sting that one of their own had handed him over. I’m sure they felt fear that they might be next. I’m sure they replayed the night over and over, wondering what they could have done differently.

Holy Saturday is the day between promise and fulfillment. Between death and resurrection. Between what we believed would happen and what actually did.
Lent teaches me to sit in that space.

I lean into silence during this season. I light a candle and resist the urge to rush toward hope. I let myself feel the ache of unanswered prayers. The confusion of unmet expectations. The grief of dreams that appear buried.

Because faith is not only forged in resurrection joy. It is also formed in the waiting.

Holy Saturday reminds me that sometimes God feels quiet. Sometimes the stone seems final. Sometimes the miracle doesn’t come when we think it should.

And still, the story is not over.

Prayer:

God of the in-between,
Teach me how to wait without losing heart.
When you feel silent, help me trust that you are still at work in hidden places.
When grief feels heavy, sit with me in it.
Form my faith in the quiet, not just in the celebration.
Give me courage to stay present in the waiting.
Amen.

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