Sequence

This word means a set of events that follow each other in a particular order. I see sequence in my life often. There are things that must happen in a particular order. When my children were small, we had a sequence in place prior to getting them to bed. It was a routine of sorts, but it worked! I now have routines and sequences that I follow most every day. I see routine as a bit more informal and relaxed than sequence.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the Roman soldiers and officers had a sequence to the execution by crucifixion. This was not their first crucifixion event. Jesus’ death interrupted the sequence a bit because He died a bit earlier than expected.  The sequence of events that happened on Friday set up the big event on Sunday. Check this out….

⁴² This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) ⁴⁴ Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet.⁴⁵ The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. ⁴⁶ Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid. (Mark 15:42-47 NLT)

My first observation of sequence was the day of the week. Friday being prep day for the Passover. I think God chose Friday as it set up Sunday. This preparation day was like no other.  The man who stepped up to bury Jesus’ body was a secret follower or at least he profoundly respected Jesus and His teachings. He asked permission at great risk, but I believe after he witnessed the death of Jesus, Joseph was convinced that Jesus was who he said he was.

The second step in sequence was verification of Jesus’ death. The Romans followed their crucifixion plan. Joseph was following a different plan – he wanted to bury Jesus before the Sabbath.

The third part of the sequential order was the burial and the onlookers. The ladies who had been followers of Jesus noticed where the body was laid. The big stone rolled in front of the tomb was significant too.

As I reviewed this sequence of events, I’m looking at my life and all the sequence of events that I go through every day, every week, every month, or every year. I trust the Lord with sequence. He knows way more than I know. He understands sequence way more than me.  I want to walk in the sequential order that the Lord has for me. He prompts me. He leads me.  I try not to worry about what is next in my life, because the Lord knows the sequence and He will lead me through it. There are times when I’m in the middle of a sequence it seems like the end of the road and then the Lord leads in a new direction! I trust Him.

Pressing On!

Dwayne