Today it is quiet. No bunnies hopping around depositing chocolate Easter eggs. Few families gathered around a table laden with luscious goodies and fancy confections. Today is the day for rest, because yesterday was a day filled with trauma, and anyway, God in His infinite wisdom had set it up that way.
No one really believed He would die and then live again. No one ever had without His touch and he would be unavailable, gone. Hasn't it always been that death is final? Friday's old wooden cross, a crown of thorns, scourging, humiliation and a spear in his side. Weeping, repenting, sadness and gloom. And upon the old rugged cross, he forgave us all, and died.
Carried to the tomb, anointed with chosen oils and wrapped in the cloths of those who would decay, the stone was rolled across the tomb, and slowly the mourners left for home.
Now, today was the day to hold each other, to mourn their loss, to go nowhere and do nothing, except perhaps to the temple, because after all, it was the Sabbath day.
Amazing isn't it? Come Sunday morning, Mary goes to the tomb to weep, and maybe to hope, and the risen Savior appears to her, not in a dream but in solid flesh and bone. She sees the holes in his hands. the burial cloths are strewn about, and she hears His comforting voice call her by name; Mary, the forgiven Prostitute. And he bids her to go tell Peter - the hasty, fearful one who betrayed him. Jesus, who holds no grudge and loves without question, seeks to remove shame as His first act of redemption.
Good Friday is a day for worship of the crucified Christ. It certainly was good for me, because this trauma saves my soul. Sunday is a day for Hosannas and praise, because Christ no longer sleeps in death, but is awake to my every pain, to my need.
Centuries later too, today is a day for rest and perhaps for a bit of preparation of heart - for tomorrow we sing and dance for joy. He is risen! My only Hope has paid the price for me, and I am free!
One of my favorite songs is, "He's Alive" by Don Francisco. It finishes with, "He's alive and I'm forgiven. Heaven's gates are open wide. He's alive! He's alive! He's alive!" Thank you Jesus for doing this for ME.
ReplyDeleteDear ones: Yes, this day is glorious! Sitting on the beach for a Sun Rise Service with 300 others...watching the sun rise over the Sea of Cortez. I felt the Lord's warmth...his promise of "Freedom." He is set free today.
ReplyDeleteI feel the pain in his mother's and Mary's heart. Touching His ravaged body, cleansing and preparing Him to rise.
I feel pain in the loss of my children and know that the Lord will care for them always...in His way. "Forgive them Father....."
The sun shines through His love and promises to me today. I pray for all my loved ones, that they, too will be freed from pain and suffering. I pray for me.
Love to you and all your family,
Kathleen
It is a powerful and beautiful reminder that no matter how dark and grim it may seem, there is hope. That weekend, things had to have looked the most grim they ever had for Jesus' followers--so bereft of hope. Yet, like a flower that blooms after winter and the darkness of the earth, hope burst through the ground--and changed the world as it was for humankind. I am reminded that, however hopeless it may seem, there is always hope--because that hope that burst forth so long ago still exists today. A favorite song of mine says,
ReplyDelete"The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them
While He dwelt below"
Cresaya
I love it that one of the first acts of the Savior was to see that Peter (yes, that same guy who betrayed him) was told of his resurrection. Didn't Jesus recall the hurt that Peter inflicted with his betrayal?
ReplyDeleteWhat a vivid example of two separate verbs (loved and forgiven)now united to become one solid noun as Jesus now displayed. He is now portraying a new state of being: "loved and forgiven" combined now shows a new concept that describes a higher level of each, than when each were separate. Amen!
Thank you so much for all the lovely and insightful comments! I too believe that Jesus gave us a perfect example of relating when he said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." He was the Sacrificial Lamb, for sure, and while he hung in agony, he was willing to look beyond the horrific act being done to him, to the pain in the guilty ones that was precipitating their acts. What a lesson for us to learn! He didn't really even make us prove sorrow and regret for what we had done - he just forgave. Did He forget? Not at all; the scars in his hands and side are perpetual reminders. And now He has promised to cast our sin into the depths of the sea and remember them no more. We are blessed! Yes, Loved and Forgiven, combined into one act of Grace and Mercy!
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