I simply love the joy of Easter morning -- that long'd for day where we celebrate the end of the holy season. The sacrifices of Lent fade away, seeming tiny and hardly sacrifices at all. Passover has been observed, the Lamb wept over, the wine and bread savored, and the leaven purged. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday have presented us with the face of Jesus -- bruised and groaning, bearing all the wrath of God in his body. The tension this build-up causes is difficult to bear as we wait for the end of the story.
And then Light breaks through the darkness, crushing the serpent's head with His Heel, victorious, alive, and risen!
And now that the fanfare fades and the daily grind resumes, I begin to feel about for the niche I ought to inhabit now that the deep soul-searching and self-sacrificing days have reached their conclusion. I am free now to surf blogs as long as my conscience allows -- how do I find the balance of how long that ought to be? I resent leaving the ease of a legal system to determine how I ought to spend my time -- and I don't want to fall into the trap of getting addicted to my internet time as I came dangerously close to doing before Lent began. I do, however, want to enjoy the freedom I have in Christ.
This is the question, isn't it? In any area of Liberty -- where does the balance lie?
5 comments:
Following a set of rules is so much easier to figure out than "having liberty," which should be easy to do - I mean, it's liberty after all!
Loved your description of the Resurrection and all it implies, Gret. Thank you for it.
Proverbs 4:25-27 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
This is the goal, but reality is in this liberty we have we will err on either side of the center. Then our true need (for the Gospel) that was present from the beginning and is still present with us now is made so evident: Grace. It's all about the grace that we need so desperately for when we move forward in our liberty and realize we've leaned too far to the right or to the left. The Spirit gives us the grace we need to adjust back to a center. So let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Amen to Paul's comment...
I am always moved by your reflections, and am thankful for your honesty in posting such thoughts.
We won't be able to do Pie Kitchen tonight - Bob's b-day so I'll be taking him out. What time do you get out of church tomorrow night - would you be up for some pie then?
Gretchen,
Good description of Easter! Easter is so much better when Lent is done right.
I also want to encourage you to keep celebrating Easter! Easter Sunday is the biggest of course, but this whole week is Easter in the Church calendar, and the Easter season goes until Pentecost, which is May 27. The Easter season extends for 50 days, I think, so it is a greater time period than Lent.
Christ's peace.
Great word pictures Gretchen. Wow.
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