Holy Saturday

This is a day of waiting.  This is day that the disciples awoke to a changed world.  He was dead.  They had to be thinking things like, "I must still be dreaming...It was only a few days ago that the people were praising Him...What are we to do...I feel so helpless...He brought others back to life, but could he truly bring Himself back?"

This is a day to remember the sacrifice.  It is a day to remember that there is nothing that we can do to bring Christ back.  We are truly helpless without Him.  It is a time to remember that with Him anything is possible...even victory over death!

Easter Saturday by Elizabeth Rooney

A curiously empty day, 

As if the world's life

Had gone underground.

The April sun

Warming dry grass

Makes pale spring promises

But nothing comes to pass.

Anger Relaxes into despair

As we remember our helplessness, 

Remember him hanging there.

We have purchased the spices

But they must wait for tomorrow.

We shall keep today

For emptiness and sorrow.

A Very Confusing Day

Good Friday is genuinely a confusing time emotionally.  Imagine though for the moment that this was not the same kind of confusion Jesus' followers knew.  They knew grief, anger, and for Peter self hatred probably.  This was because they did not realize the possibility of what would happen on Sunday.  They only knew that He was very much dead.  The picture to the right is another station for prayer from the prayer garden Canaan in the Desert.  It is a carving of His followers preparing His body for burial.  For what they thought was the end.

However, for us it is confusing because we know both rejoicing and great sorrow.  Rejoicing because we now know that through Christ's death and Resurrection that He has put an end to the reign of sin and death.  Sorrow because it is our sin that put Him there.  The poem below tries to capture this confusing emotional state.  I believe that it projects a balance that we must have this day.  For without both tears of grief and joy it truly would not be Good Friday!

Good Friday by Anonymous

O heart, be lifted up; O heart be gay,

Because the Light was lifted up today–

Was lifted on the Rood, but did not die,

To shine eternally for such as I.

O heart, rejoice with all your humble might

That God did kindle in the world this Light

Which stretching on the Cross could not prevent

From shining with continuous intent.

Why weep, O heart, this day? Why grieve you so?

If all the glory of the Light had lost its glow

Would the sun shine or earth put on her best—

Her flower-entangled and embroidered vest?

Look up, O heart; and then, O heart, kneel down

In humble adoration: give no crown

Nor golden diadem to your fair Lord,

But offer love and beauty by your word…

The everlasting fire of love, O heart,

Has blazed in you and it will not depart.

Wherefore, O heart, exult and praises sing:

Lift up your voice and make the echoes ring…

O heart, rise up: O heart be lifted high.

Rejoice; for Light was slain today, yet did not die.

Maundy Thursday

Say what!?  If you don't come from a high church or liturgical background you are probably thinking what in the world is Maundy Thursday?  It is the day that traditionally the church remembers the Last Supper and His time with His disciples on the Mount of Olives before His arrest during Holy Week.  This was the last time that He sat and taught His disciples.  This was the time that He used to prepare Himself for the cross.  So I would ask you to spend Thursday, as Jesus did, preparing for the cross which comes Friday.  I leave you with two poems to meditate on.

A Psalm for Maundy Thursday by Joseph Bayly

Tonight 

Lord Jesus Christ

You sat at supper

with your friends.

It was a simple meal

that final one

of lamb

unleavened bread

and wine.

Afterward

You went out to die.

How many other meals you shared

beside the lake

fried fish and toasted bread

at Simon's banquet hall a feast

at Lazarus' home in Bethany

the meal that Martha cooked

on mountain slope

where you fed the hungry crowd

at close of tiring day.

Please sit with us tonight

at our small meal

of soup  and rolls and tea.

Then go with us

to feast of bread and wine

that you provide

because afterward

you went out to die.

A Ballad of Trees and the Master  by Sidney Lanier

Into the woods my Master went,
Clean forspent, forspent.

Into the woods my Master came,

Forspent with love and shame.

But the olives they were not blind to him,

The little grey leaves were kind to him:

The thorn trees had a mind to him

When into the woods he came.

Out of the woods my Master went,
And he was well content.

Out of the woods my Master came,

Content with death and shame.

When death and shame would woo him last,

From under the trees they drew him last;

'Twas on a tree they slew him last

When out of the woods he came.

April Fools!!!

My bodacious beautiful bride, as many know, is a second grade teacher.  As a result, she is very happy that this year April Fools day does not fall on a weekday.  Otherwise, she would have to deal with the constant, "Your shoes untied...April fools!"  However, this year April Fools day collides with another holiday that is not as well known.  That day is Palm Sunday.  It begins what is known as Holy week.  It is the day Jesus made his 'Triumphant Entry' into Jerusalem.  It is the day that throngs of people lined the streets shouting praise to Jesus.  Lining the road with clothing and palm branches.  However, it is as if they just waited for the punch line...waiting to say APRIL FOOLS!...waiting to say CRUCIFY HIM!!!

All the while though, Christ knew the punchline was coming.  He wasn't going to fall for it.  How fickle we are.  I can't help but wonder...would I have been part of the group telling the horrible joke if I had lived at that time.  I wonder am I guilty of the same joke today...praising Him one day, and rejecting Him the next.  I pray with all my heart that I never am part of such a horrid and crude joke against my LORD.  In the meantime, I want to give you a poem to consider as we approach Palm Sunday.  I hope you reflect on this and that it helps prepare you for Sunday.

Ride on! by Henry Hart Milman

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

Hark, all the tribes hosanna cry;

Thy humble beast pursues his road

With palms and scattered garments strowed.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

In lowly pomp ride on to die;

O Christ, thy triumphs now begin

O'er captive death and conquered sin.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

The winged squadrons of the sky

Look down with sad and wondering eyes

To see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;

The Father on his sapphire throne

Expects his own anointed Son.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

In lowly pomp ride on to die;

Bow thy meek head to mortal pain,

Then take, O God, thy power, and reign.

What Will You Do with Jesus?

A. B. Simpson asks a very important question.  The question is simple, yet profound.  It is one that everyone must answer.  Those who say differently answer all the same.  The question is, "What will you do with Jesus?"  So if you have not accepted Him as Savior I challenge you to do so.  If you you have accepted Him as Savior, then I ask what keeps you from accepting His as LORD and King?  However, no matter where you stand right now regarding this question, read the poem and contemplate what kind of relationship you have with Jesus and decide today what you will do with Him.  Everything hangs in the balance.  If you need a different place to go during this season of lent I recommend going to the prayer garden at Canaan in the Desert (http://www.canaaninthedesert.com/).  It is a wonderful place for prayer and is where the picture was taken.

What Will You Do with Jesus?

Jesus is Standing in Pilate's hall,

Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all;

Hearken! what meaneth the sudden call?

What will you do with Jesus?

What will you do with Jesus?

Neutral you cannot be;

Some day your heart will be asking,

"What will He do with me?"

Jesus is standing on trial still,

You can be false to Him if you will,

You can be faithful through good or ill:

What will you do with Jesus?

Will you evade him as Pilate tried?

Or will you choose Him, whate'er betide?

Vainly you struggle from Him to hide:

What will you do with Jesus?

Will you, like Peter, your Lord deny?

Or will you scorn from His foes to fly,

Daring for Jesus to live or die?

What will you do with Jesus?

"Jesus, I give Thee my heart today!

Jesus, I'll follow Thee all the way,

Gladly obeying Thee!" will you say:

"This I will do with Jesus!"

Poetry...A Neglected Art Form

Poetry is an amazing way to convey thought and emotion in a way that touches the soul like no other.  The primary genre in the Old Testament is poetry.  It affects greatly, yet it is surprisingly overlooked.  For example, the portrait on the right is of the Christian poet John Donne.  However, many do not even know of this great man or others like him.  So as we approach Holy Week I would like to inspire every so often with a poem by a great Christian poet.  As you can guess, below is a poem written by John Donne.  I would really like to discuss these poems with anyone interested.  We can do this through comments below, facebook, phone, or meeting over some coffee.  Also, if you have a poem that you believe would be appropriate please send it to me!  So without further ado...

Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

A New Year...A New Focus

 December 25th seems like it was quite a while ago.  The decorations have been put away, the cards have been taken off of our wall, and the spring semester for Jenny is in full swing.  But I would like to reflect upon two gifts I received that day.  They were from my brother-in-law David and his wife Kathrine.  One I had asked for and one I had not.  Kathrine had bought me the book, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan.  David saw the book and thought, "He didn't even ask for this.  We should get him something that he asked for."  So he went and got me rap/hip-hop artist LeCrae's albums Overdose & Rehab.  Well it turns out that they were both excellent choices! The LeCrae albums + DVD have served in lessons for the youth.

However, this book is now serving me in a very unexpected way.  I just finished reading it after starting it last week.  This is partly because it is an excellent book and partly because I now have a comfy couch in my office to sit on and read.  This book came at the perfect time.  I had been trying to figure out what God would have me focus on this year.  That's when it hit me.  God was using Kathrine to tell me what He wanted me to focus on.  I had not asked for this book, yet here it was lying on my desk.  So I began to read.  At first it was o.k.  Then once I started chapter 2 today I could not stop until I had finished it today.  

You may now be wondering what was so amazing about this book.  The answer to that is everything and nothing.  Everything in that it was exactly what I needed to hear right now.  Nothing in that I had heard almost all of the content in the book before.  However, the title was right on when referring to Holy Spirit as Forgotten God.  He has been forgotten or at the very least, as in my case, been neglected.  So this is the year of the Holy Spirit for both my personal relationship with God and the ministry He has set before me at West Greenway Bible Church.  It will begin in earnest tomorrow morning when I go on a personal retreat out to Dreamy Draw Park to reconnect with Holy Spirit and refresh my soul for an exciting year of glorifying our Lord & Savior Jesus the Christ!

So if you don't know much about the Holy Spirit or if you have been neglecting Him than I would encourage you to pick up a copy of this book.  I believe that no matter what level of understanding, regarding the Spirit, you have this book can be helpful to you.

Post Script:  Thank you Kathrine for letting Holy Spirit guide you in getting this book for me!  And you too David for the LeCrae music!