Next week, we are going to be remembering a very special time in the church year. Holy Week is the commemoration of the final week of Jesus' life. It all begins this weekend when we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. People waved palm branches, shouted hosanna, and they looked to the future with hope and anticipation. However, things changed rapidly when Jesus overturned the tables of the temple and told the money changers to get out. By the end of the week, Jesus would be arrested and put to death. Finally, we look forward to Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave. It is hard to understand how all of that could happen in one week. How did people change their minds so quickly? How were the disciples able to follow Jesus when they faced so many moments of desperation and fear?
Some of these questions are still quite hard to understand. However, from another perspective, we all are living on a roller coaster. Life goes up and down rapidly. We have moments of Joy followed by moments of failure or defeat.
Just over a week ago, my kids were out of school for Spring Break, and we decided to go on a trip. We went to Florida to visit my 92 year old grandfather, and we did all kinds of Florida things. We went to the beach, we went on boat rides, and we saw all kinds of alligators, eagles, and armadillos while exploring the inland swamps, but it wasn't all fun and games. While we were there, my younger son and I wound up with a 24 hour bug. We had to cut out a few of the touristy things while we tried to feel better, but we had a great time. My kids are still talking about seeing their great grandfather, and they can't wait to go back to see him (and drive his golf cart!) again.
When we returned home, I was ready to start working on Holy Week and Easter services, but instead, I received the news of the sudden death of a 17 year old member of our church. This person was dearly loved, and it sent shock waves through our youth group. As awful as this moment was, we came together as a community. People showered us with their support, and we had an incredible opportunity to share love.
Everyday we face a roller coaster of pain and blessings. Life can be really hard to understand, but I think it is important to remember that we have a Good Shepherd who loves us and is leading us the entire way. God is always present. I hope you can take time to find Christ's light now.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
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