Lent Day 40 – Lenten Devotion – Holy Week, Saturday – The Vigil of Easter – April 4, 2026
Easter Sunday Worship Tomorrow!
The Resurrection of Our Lord
Sunday, April 20, 2025, 9:30 a.m.
"Easter Hearts: Alive, Anew, Awakened!"
Festive Music, Children’s Message, Holy Communion, Easter Garden, Easter Fellowship, and more!
Join us tomorrow in-person or on YouTube!
"Seven Words: Simple,
Powerful, Renewing Words,
In Grace Alone!"
Stay Here and Keep Watch
Berthier
Stay here and keep watch with me
The hour has come
Stay here and keep watch with me
Watch and pray
“When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that imposter said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead’, and the last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.”
Few things in life are as hard as waiting. Waiting for the doctor's report. Waiting for the court to rule. Waiting for the next dollar in hard times. Waiting while being put on hold. Waiting for the birth of a child. Waiting for news of a loved one's condition.
Waiting.... waiting for what will happen next, is not easy. Waiting for what will happen next, even when you have a pretty good idea, is not easy. Things could change. It could take longer than you think. Things might not take place exactly the way you pictured them.
Today is about waiting. About keeping vigil, and staying here and keeping watch. Even in the midst of day to day details, and as we share in preparing to celebrate Easter tomorrow, we are invited to remember the One who is in control of what will happen next - The same One who was in charge of all the details at the cross and tomb.
Those who loved Jesus took his body and prepared it and put it in the tomb. They did not exactly know what the days ahead held for them. Pilate and the guards thought they were in charge of the details, thought they knew what they were waiting for - rumor, conspiracy, nothing - The Lord was waiting to surprise them.
Our 40-day journey is coming to a close, and yet, there is still time to find simple power and renewing grace in these seven words: Stay here and keep watch with me! May we trust the Lord will stay here and keep watch over us, as we wait to celebrate, as we wait in the midst of all of life's uncertainties, as we keep vigil, as we wait for the glorious return of the crucified and risen Christ, as we wait for God's grace to spring forth once again!
Let us pray: Lord, I do not like to wait. Thank you for being with me while I wait in the midst of times that are different and difficult. Through your Holy Spirit, help me to stay here and to keep watch this Easter weekend and always, for your grace to provide the unexpected. Give me such a faith, that I would simply surrender to you. Into your hands, I commend my spirit once again, trusting the One who is in control of it all, while I wait. In your name, I stay here and keep watch. Amen.
