April 3

Read: Matthew 27:57–66

Devotion:

Matthew 27 brings us to a quiet and often overlooked moment in the story of Jesus. After the suffering of the cross, everything slows down. Jesus’ body is taken down and placed in a tomb. A man named Joseph steps forward with courage and care to give Him a proper burial. A large stone is rolled in front of the entrance, and guards are posted to make sure it stays sealed.

For the disciples and followers of Jesus, this had to feel like the end. The One they trusted and followed now lay in a sealed tomb, and what they’d hoped for likely felt buried with Him.

That’s what makes this moment so heavy. Nothing looks victorious, and everything appears final.

And yet, God was still at work, even though nothing seemed to be happening.

We all experience moments like this. Times when prayers seem unanswered, when situations don’t turn out the way we hoped, and when God feels quiet.

But this passage reminds us that silence doesn’t mean absence. Just because we can’t see what God is doing doesn’t mean He isn’t working. The tomb wasn’t the end of the story. It was where God was preparing what would come next.

Lent invites us to trust God in those in between moments. The moments when we don’t have answers but still choose to trust Him.

Because even when everything looks sealed and still, God isn’t finished.

Reflect:

1. Where in your life does it feel like things are quiet or uncertain right now?

2. What would it look like for you to trust God in this season, even without clear answers?

Pray:

Father, in moments when life feels quiet or uncertain, help me trust that You’re still at work. Remind me that Your plans aren’t limited by what I can see, and give me faith to trust You in the silence as I wait for what You’re preparing. Amen.