It is hard to believe we are here at the front door of Easter weekend, Good Friday and life is still nothing like we could have envisioned not that long ago. For many of us, we thought we’d be out of this current state we’ve been in but we’re still in it…… And it’s hard… hard on the system, psyche, emotions and more.
It would make for a movie but real life scenarios? Not even close but yet, here we are….
The line ups for stores is not the same as it was last spring but still very weird to see limited numbers to get into stores. The gas prices are ridiculous.. Can someone revoked that carbon tax so we can go back to normal $$$!!!! Oh, I’ll be quiet….
Such a weird moment in time and it’ doesn’t appear to be over just yet …..
All of this could make even the strongest one stop and pause and ask, “Is there hope in the middle of this”? Forward Friday is an encouragement to keep on riding through the moments we are living through even when the days could be described as "See Nothing Days". There is Hope but we've got to Keep On Riding!!
Let's Get Into This!
I’ve been reading a lot of the account of the Easter story these past few weeks and the contrast in tone, drama could be something that we could draw courage from in light of what we as a community, city, country, world are still facing presently.
The Sunday leading into Easter week was/is generally considered Palm Sunday. Jesus rides into Jerusalem and there is such excitement, joy, anticipation for the future and palm branches (even coats would line the street) line the road that he rides along on a donkey and it is a great day.
Even the picture of the entry into Jerusalem is marked by extremes.
The laying of the palm branches signaled that a King or royalty was riding in and there is this chorus of excitement yet Jesus is riding in on a donkey.
But nonetheless the day is exciting and hope is in the air…..
Except that 4 days later, Jesus is betrayed by one of his own disciples and it brings us to Good Friday.
I can only imagine his follower’s confusion at the sudden turn of events; their leader, shepherd, friend is arrested, beaten, flogged, whipped, falsely accused and from 5 days earlier when the crowds are hailing Jesus as the rescuer, the crowd is now saying to crucify/kill him instead of the thief who earned that place.
Good Friday; a place of a scourge, a curse, a devastating moment; watching Jesus being nailed to a cross, pierced in the side with a sword, one of the ugliest and most reviled ways to kill a person is happening and the world as they knew it at that time is about to go dark.
For some today, this pandemic has continued to keep fears heightened, concerns, and paranoia even.
Some have lost jobs, pay slashed...
Some families have been torn apart at the seams, some damage irreparable.
There is the isolation with not being able to connect with family, friends like we normally do. The grandparents missing the grandkids and vice versa, the people we feel estranged to and how for many has created a type of anxiety of possibly not seeing the ones we love and cherish again.
(I know in our family’s case, my aunt in Bermuda who is 94 years old just fell and broke her hip- and because of this situation, we might as well be planets apart)
So many have lost loved ones, friends..,,,, some to the virus and complications, some passed away naturally or otherwise and we could not properly mourn with those in mourning
The families who lost a loved one during this past year and could only have minimum people stand with them all the while physically distancing in a funeral parlor or cemetery burial service. How hard and tough and some not even able to even that much.
The mental anguish, anxiety, separation, isolation that we have felt and feel are real and we must contend with those feelings because they are real and not imagined.
There are other scenarios that could be considered dark during this time but I am hopeful because on the backend of a terrible Friday, a very sad and lonely Saturday, Sunday comes.
While we must be realists when it comes to what we are dealing with, we can’t lose hope because when we do, the battle is lost.
So I think the words that are continually striking to me when I think of Easter weekend on a Palm Sunday weekend, a Palm Sunday weekend that was filled with excitement but directly led to a very dark, gloomy, week that on first glance, Good Friday would have spelt the end…… These words come to light…
“Don’t be afraid!” he (The angel) said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
What a difference a week makes!!!
Good Medicine!!
From a Sunday of joy to a Friday of dark and utter gloom to the light of a new dawn, a new Sunday to say that Hope is alive!
So, I do not have a crystal ball or would even try to speculate on when this time will turn around or ”right itself” but Easter gives me hope.
I think it is not by accident that the donkey ridden into Jerusalem has some encouragement for us.
The mode of transportation is not regal; it’s not what a King would normally ride triumphantly into a city on but maybe it’s enough to encourage us that we must keep on riding in this time of life we are in….we may feel like there are no majestic “horses” in our life during this time so to speak in this past year of chaos but if we’re still standing, then somehow, we are getting through it.
It also speaks that Jesus came in to Jerusalem as humble; He may be King but He is also servant. He signifies peace and we could use some peace in our troubled times to soothe our hearts and minds.
It may not be pretty, there may be tears shed, frustrated days and some lonely nights, but we are somehow still standing.
Hope to dream, hope to believe, hope to gain strength, hope that we can put our trust in a bedrock foundation, hope to not just guess but strength in the midst of chaos.
Not blindly walking but walking knowing that Easter weekend means faith didn’t die on a gloomy, dark Friday but came back to life with full power, full strength, full virtue, full of Hope on Easter Sunday because He is Hope!
Again, one need not be religious to understand the profound significance of Easter and if there was ever a time we needed supernatural strength to help carry us through, I’d say it’s now…….
While I draw hope from my wife, my family, my friends and that has been of great comfort as I’m sure it has been for you as well etc., this blessed Hope of Easter Weekend helps me now in this crisis and will help me on the other side when this moment subsides because we/I will always need Hope!
Sometimes, we have to keep on riding; through the wind, through the storm, through the heartache, through the disillusionment, through the chaos because there is always hope on the other side but we’ve got to keep on riding.
I trust we will be encouraged to hope even if we don’t feel like it because of everything that is going on presently; we need Hope right now and Hope is an anchor I want to latch on to!
Palm Sunday was a good Sunday…..But we’ve got to keep on riding to get to Easter Sunday! A Good Friday may seem like the time we are in but I’ve got to believe that Easter Sunday for us is coming! I don’t know when and I don’t know how but I do know that I’ve got to keep on riding!
The Road To Easter/Hope is not always an easy one but Keep on riding my friends!!
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