This years holy week coincides with a very special day for me.
Today, exactly 7 years ago, my husband and I went on our first date. So much had led up to this day. Years of admiration and affection, buried deep and left unspoken, finally given the room to breathe, to grow, to be known, to be felt and shared.
I am not sure I have ever been as acutely aware of Gods kindness to me as I was on that day.
He didn’t need to give me Eli. I even asked that he wouldn’t because I was so scared. So scared of being rejected, of messing up something so beautiful, of being unworthy and being seen and known- even though the deepest parts of me ached to be.
But the perfect love of Jesus casted out my fear seven years ago and surprised me with joy unspeakable.
Our story did not start- and has not gone exactly the way I expected, but our journey together has made us stronger and grown us closer than I could have ever dreamed.
God has a way of doing the unexpected.
He did not come the way his people hoped he would, even though he came exactly as he promised.
They wanted a king, he came as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying as a manger.
They wanted him to overturn their government, but he overturned the tables of their temple instead.
They wanted him to uphold their law, instead he upheld the sick, and the broken, and weary.
I’m not sure I’ve ever felt the magnitude of this week as closely as I do this year.
I feel the pain and the death, and the loss and the loneliness, the ache for hardened hearts to be softened, for blind eyes to be opened, but I also know that Sunday is coming, life and resurrection, promises-realized, joy unspeakable, victory, and life.
Even Jesus hoped there’d be another way for God’s justice and mercy to meet.
Another way besides his crucifixion. Another way besides his death.
But through his death, life came for us all. Through his wounds on the cross, we are healed.
And maybe through your wounds and the death in your life- hope and healing will come to you too.
I will never stop being grateful that God surprised me with joy seven years ago.
And that gives me hope he will do it again- for both you and I, and the ones that we love.
Praying a blessed holy week upon you. Praying you feel both the pain, and the promise therein.
For further encouragement, read Isaiah 55.
I was asked Easter morning to help with the communion elements. The pastor in typical fashion gave an invitation to the congregation to raise their hand if they wanted Jesus to reach their lonely hearts. Like a kid sneaking a peak under the Christmas tree I peaked and saw 2 sets of hands raise before it was communion time. It was my pleasure to serve one of them. This sweet old lady, bubbling in a puddle of tears, brought by another lady friend, sincerely took the bread and the juice. I still consider witnessing a lost soul coming to Christ as one of the many pleasures of my faith. Jesus is king. He invites though we are so undeserving