The Ultimate in Fearlessness and Humility

Just a handful of days ago we celebrated Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week.  Growing up in church, year after year children would enter the sanctuary waving palm branches while the congregation sang "Hosanna!".  This year was no different in many churches across the world.  We faithfully mark Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and as we grow in faith we begin to really understand the humility He portrayed and the insane twist that was to take place in the days to follow.  It seems each year during this time something new stands out to me.  And each year I wonder "why have I never grasped this??"  It amazes me how polluted my mind can be with petty details that aren't mine to worry about.

On Sunday evening I felt a sense of wonder and joy as I considered the day's celebrations.  Services at our church seemed especially "alive" and I had truly enjoyed the day.  However, that evening there came a realization of what the next day held for Jesus, let alone the remainder of the week.  I am ashamed to confess that I spent far too many years going through the motions of Easter failing to stop and attempt to absorb the magnitude of it all. 

So, Jesus makes this grand entrance into Jerusalem on Sunday.  Then, Monday being what Monday tends to be, Jesus finds the temple turned into a market place and becomes enraged, throwing tables and yelling "you have turned my house into a den of thieves!!".  The thought occurred to me Sunday evening that Jesus clearly knew what was coming in the week ahead, he had already begun to prepare the disciples.  Ya think He might have been a little stressed? 

Despite the impending doom, Jesus continued to teach and live out His purpose.  Last night many Christians celebrated communion and the washing of feet.  Those final hours of His ministry on this earth were spent humbly feeding His disciples teaching them to remember, and kneeling to wash each of their feet cleansing them in the most humble way, as a servant and yet as their leader.  If you have ever had someone you respect greatly kneel in front of you to wash your feet, you can merely begin to grasp the significance of those moments.

The hours that followed were filled with fear and betrayal as Jesus prayed, and waited.  If you read the story you find that Jesus, being fully human, asked God if there were any other way.....and when there was no other way revealed, being fully God, he followed the plan to fearlessly, relentlessly, love us enough....not just to die, but to suffer greatly and then die.

It's just after 8:00am on Good Friday as I write.  There's a list of things to do on this day to prepare for the weekend.  I have shopping to do, ironing to be done, laundry, take Lizzi to have her dress pinned for alteration, and on and on.  Yet, in the deepest part of my heart there is the craziest mix of sadness, joy, gratitude, and wonder of the realization that on this day over 2000 years ago, at this moment, my beloved savior, my rescuer, the only One who would ever truly love me unconditionally, was sitting in a cell the size of a card board box waiting to be tortured and die the most cruel of deaths so that we can live freely.  He knew what was coming, even while those who had him arrested were discussing over breakfast what to do with Him.

Tonight, we will remember.  Tomorrow we will wait and go through the motions of our day, planning, doing our regular Saturday errands and chores because we already know that Sunday is coming.  We have the peace of knowing that there IS, in fact, a Resurrection to celebrate.  I can't begin to fathom what it must have been like for Jesus' followers all those years ago......they had to feel lost and empty.  And then, the wave of mixed emotions when the women went to the tomb only to find it empty.  I hope that you will take a moment to crawl inside the story in a whole new way this weekend.  My prayer is that we will all find newness in the old, old stories of Jesus. As we celebrate Easter, in the midst of bunnies and eggs, we can find a deeper understanding of the forgiveness that is the final result of what was the most stressful week of Jesus' life on this earth.  And as we are confronted with the ins and outs, the stresses and joys of our lives in the days, weeks, and months to come we will find quiet moments to remember, accept, and apply this unimaginable gift of unconditional love and forgiveness.