Good Friday
How will you spend the day?
Fasting and praying
Decorating eggs with your children
Working outside in the dirt, soon ready to grant new life
Making special food for the day of celebration ahead
God has given me and you a truly incredible gift this year. Time to reflect. With so many things crossed off my calendar (ok, everything crossed off!) I truly have time. Can I admit that? Or do I need a sense of hurry to make me feel needed and like I matter on this vast earth? Am I able to receive the gift of time to reflect? Now that I'm not taking kids to ballet, or art class, or school, or literally anywhere can I be still and know that He is God?
I had one of those moments yesterday where God could not be ignored. Slumped in a ratty blue lawn chair, reading beside the river at our ranch, everything had been loud and bustling as kids played in the sand. Weirdly, mysteriously everyone had gone their separate way and total quiet descended. When I noticed the stillness, I looked up toward the wall of the canyon to see a glimmer of gold shimmering onto every twig and bug as the sun's very last rays shone through the evergreens into my face. I couldn't move. God was here and He was offering me this moment of beauty and closeness with Him.
I never could have orchestrated that moment, and I wasn't even looking for it (I was reading Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before, while I sat there, not some super spiritual book.)
It was all gift.
Gifts are for taking with both your hands and simply saying, thank you.
Are you ready to take the gift of time this Easter weekend? You've already been offered the greatest gift in the history of the world.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
He offers perfect life untouched by any fear of death, brought by viruses or any other means. Death has been conquered, where is its sting?
"But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many."
This free gift is for all. Let's take it with both hands this Good Friday and see what wonders God will do with humble, willing servants given justification on earth and eternal life forevermore.
However you spend the day, take moments to reflect on the greatest gift the world has even known. And don't forget to say, shout, sing, write, yell from the rooftops: thank you.
*For all of you who must continue to go to work in essential businesses and are not feeling this slowed pace of life, and are working for the better of everyone else, all I can say is, "Thank you".
During this time of viral pandemic and while we think on the ultimate sacrifice our God made this day 2000 years ago, Lauren Daigle's song is giving me some joy in truth to sing out loud.
Where are You now
When darkness seems to win?
Where are You now
When the world is crumbling?
I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child,
Look up child,
Where are You now
When all I feel is doubt?
Where are You now
When I can't figure it out?
I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child,
Look up child,
You're not threatened by the war
You're not shaken by the storm
I know You're in control
Even in our suffering
Even when it can't be seen
I know You're in control
I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child
