Easter is very important to me. It’s a second chance
The sports world witnessed a marvelous comeback at the Masters last week of golfer, Tiger Woods. You don’t have to be a golf enthusiast to know of Wood’s recent past. From the sordid personal indiscretions to the serious health issues that for the better part of 8 years derailed his powerful ascent to be golf’s premier superstar, Tiger was at times just a weaker version of his former dominant self.
But this year’s master’s win was a culmination of getting his health back over the past couple of years and righting his personal life and most were happy and elated for him to win a major championship again.
While Tiger’s win was exciting, it pales in comparison (I will blog in the future about comebacks) to the Greatest comeback.
Easter is very important to me. It’s a second chance
Let’s go back for a minute: Jesus was heading into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the week before Easter weekend.
We see Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. It was really a death march towards the cobble stone roads of Jerusalem. He is dressed regally. He’s coming in on a donkey, but he is nonetheless regal, they are laying palm branches down and he has an entourage that is waiting for him and shouting exuberantly and the people are excited because the King they’ve waited for is here so this is the picture you see when you see Jesus coming into Jerusalem.
Looking a little deeper into this story, it really becomes apparent that Jesus was under a considerable amount of pressure. You know you’re under pressure when your week is ultimately ending in the cross and death awaits, you know that’s a rough week.
And yet in the middle of pressure, stress and the controversy, you know what’s about to happen, in the middle of the conversation with his disciples/followers, he stops and says, there’s a donkey tied up in between towns.
They’re saying what? There’s a donkey tied up and it’s never been ridden. Go get it and if anyone says anything, say the Lord needs it. In the middle of stress and pressure, Jesus has the presence of mind to know where a donkey is and if he knows where a donkey is, we can be comforted that He knows exactly where we’re at.
Jesus has the presence of mind to know where a donkey is and if he knows where a donkey is, we can be comforted that He knows exactly where we’re at.
The crowd has now gathered around Jesus, his influence is gaining strength and now his enemies are now plotting to kill him because his influence is growing.
There's a parade of people surrounding him expressing praise to him because they now believe him to be who he says he is.
He sends the disciples down to get the donkey, and the throngs of people are ready to praise and worship/adore, ready to do whatever he wants done, branches on the ground, placed coats on it, in front and behind praising him.
Isn’t it funny how we can go from a high and to hallacious low in a moment. We can go from great highs to deep lows.
Isn’t it funny how we can go from a high and to hallacious low in a moment. We can go from great highs to deep lows. It can go from raising a dead man, Lazarus a few days before to being every day closer to the hang man’s noose and the pressure is growing. He can barely enjoy the excitement before he is bombarded with other problems, in the middle of it.
He goes to church and comes across money changers who are making money and merchandise in the temple and has a fighting fit and throws them out.
So much going on in pursuit of a death march.
Sometimes we are under unbelievable pressure and so overwhelming that before we can enjoy the highs, we’re still thinking about the lows, trying to get over the low when the high comes back but we’re not sure if we can get excited about the high because we’re still thinking about the low or worried about the next low.
In the old days, people would say Baby just keep on riding, somehow you’ll get through it.
We’d be surprised what we could get through if we keep on riding, we could be in hell but if we keep on riding we’ll get through. We might have been going through a bad week, a bad month or a hard year, but if we keep on riding, God will help get us through it.
Back in the day, old folks used to say The Race Is Not Given To The Swift, Nor The War To The Strong But To the one Who Endures To The End.
Sometimes, we have to ride through the storm, the wind, the rain, the snow, the hell and high water and believe that God wouldn’t let us go through this if He couldn’t bring us out of it.
I thought about the fact that Jesus had a tough week. A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom/payment/exchange for the world. It was a perfect act.
He kept on riding, right into Friday but He knew it was what had to be fulfilled for true change to come to the human race.
That He died on a Friday and it looked bleak…. But if the beginning of a new week is any indication of a comeback, look no further to Easter Sunday morning.
The plan was to bring man back to right standing with God and Easter Sunday symbolizes new beginnings, the chance to have a new start, a new launch point.
"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created spring." "Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing." "For I remember it is Easter morn, and life and love and peace are all new born." "Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life."
God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ bled and died, It was God saying to the world, “I Love You”!
Yet it didn’t end there: God wrote the promised resurrection not in books alone but by every leaf of springtime.
So, I am grateful for Easter for it reminds me that even though I cannot eloquently state properly the majestic thought progressions that God had/has for His creation, I/we can benefit from the story of Easter.
Riding in on a donkey, not glamorous yet foretold, a picture of tragedy and coming triumph, pain and suffering to joy and newness of life, distress and despair to hope, from a nail scarred cross to an empty, stone rolled away tomb, there is another side if we can just keep on riding!!
Happy Easter! I’m Grateful!!
Dave
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