Dear Brothers and Sisters
Doesn’t time fly?
Easter week has rushed by and is receding into the past. There was much going on and no time to think about, consider, reflect on the Easter week. Yet we are in the space between Easter and Ascension, maybe it is time to stop and reflect on the Easter busy-ness?
If Easter week seems crammed to us, how did it feel to Jesus and the disciples. Jesus I guess was calm and composed through it all, but the disciples… how did they see that tumultuous week? It started with that walk up the hill to Jerusalem, singing the Palms of Ascent that marked the final stage of pilgrimage to the Passover festival. Then the strange finding of the donkey and colt, the words “The Lord has need of them” released the colt to Jesus’ use. There is an interesting reflection just there, is there anything in our possession that ‘the Lord has need of’?
Then the actual entry, the riotous noise, people shouting, singing, animals baying and grunting. What did the disciples think? The adrenaline must have been running, the excitement must have been almost unbearable as the crowd féted Jesus, ‘Hosanna to the son of David’, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’, surely there must be a coronation of King Jesus soon? Yet, in the midst of it all Jesus, apparently unmoved, with His face set as a flint. That was a Sunday to remember!
That must have been a day! So how about a Monday lie-in and slow day to recover from the excitement. But no, the next day was a visit to the Temple, with knotted rope and fury Jesus threw out the dishonest traders and moneychangers. Tuesday promised to be quieter, and the offer of a meal by Simon who lived in Bethany seemed like a peaceful option (especially as Lazarus was there) to share a meal with them. Then, out of the blue, a woman anointed Jesus with a pure perfume. Jesus received this amazing act as an anointing for burial!
Wednesday was a quiet day, but in the aftermath of the Bethany meal Judas was betraying Jesus to the Chief Priests.
Thursday was the day they had been waiting for, the Passover meal. just like the finding of the donkey, the finding of the Upper Room was weird! In a city crammed with pilgrims where the biggest festival of the year was happening Jesus sent two disciples to find a room for their Passover Meal, read about it in Mark 14 it’s bizarre!
So, after this crazy week, of ups and downs, of visible wonders and hidden betrayals now they sit to celebrate. You’d think that the disciples would be animated, fired up, after a busy week here they are celebrating Passover, God’s redemption of His chosen people. Then as they celebrate they are shocked as Jesus washes their feet. I am shocked that only John remembers and records this event.
But then Jesus goes further and starts to talk about betrayal, a broken body, lifeblood poured out, death. As far as the disciples are concerned this is not what Passover is about. It’s a triumphal escape from slavery, it’s God’s deliverance and fulfilled promises. It’s all about the defeat of Egypt, freeing of God’s people to know afresh the Most-High God
I am guessing that the disciples are somewhat confused. When we add the events of Gethsemane and Good Friday they are now distraught, confused, lost, vulnerable, and overwhelmed by the events of the week they scatter.
Does some of this sound familiar?
We all go through times where we think all is well, where life seems as though it cannot get any better. Then, we are hit with things that we never saw coming, things that we couldn’t imagine happening. Things that hurt, confuse, disorient, challenge (even undermine) our faith. Things like relationship break-ups, family disputes, illness, financial troubles, even death and bereavement.
All these things happen in a moment, and like the disciples we can be caught out by the unexpected, we can be overwhelmed by the onslaught of circumstances.
In the midst of the passion of the triumphal entry Jesus was settled, face focussed on the future. At the point of a betraying kiss He was still composed, composed enough to bring healing to the injured Malchus.
We too should take our cue from His resting in the Father’s love and will. Sometimes those two things don’t seem to go together, it can seem that life is out of control, that God might love us but His will seems fickle it is not.
After the helter-skelter of Holy Week and life seems to get back to what it was, we may need to look at our lives, in this pause approaching the Ascension. Reflect upon the difficulties we may be living through and see that Jesus is that calm, almost serene presence at the centre of our lives. He calls us to be (like Him) still. The psalmist reports…
‘He says “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”‘ (Psm 46:10)
Notice that we are called to be still, but also that He will be ‘…exalted among the nations…’ and ‘…will be exalted in the earth..
If God is to be exalted among the nations AND exalted in the earth does that not mean that He will be exalted in our lives too? Or put another way we are to be still in order that He can be exalted.
As we (like Him) are still, knowing that He is God, that He is in the centre of our confusion, hurt, even despair, He will be exalted in our lives.
If the events of Holy Week reflect the consternation that you feel today, then know that as surely as He rose on Easter morn, He will be exalted in all our life’s circumstances.
All we have to do is, be still and know.
With love and blessings
Derreck