Hiding from the Cross

Can you believe Palm Sunday & Easter is around the corner?

I don't know about you, but my experience of time has felt disoriented as we transition out of the pandemic. Almost every holiday that approaches I find myself saying, "I can't believe this is happening already!"

What comes to mind when you consider the arrival Palm Sunday & Easter Sunday this year?

It may sound strange for a Christian to say, but I don't always find myself running excitedly to the end of the gospel accounts. I would love to say it's out of reverence, but if I'm honest, it's more often because it's so so sad to think of Jesus this way (sad, and beautiful too), and I not only have to face His betrayal and death, but to face my own grief at the reality of pain-like-this in our world. 

Part of me wants to dive in, and read "rightly" or "readily" or "reverently" but another part wants to just jump ahead to the book of Acts (doing Christianity) or the letters of Paul (doing Church)...but, alas, this is one reason we have holy scriptures to make us wrestle, isn't it? I can't just edit out the parts I don't prefer ;)

I wonder if we're meant to be a bit disturbed by this holistic display of costly- grace during Easter and Palm Sunday leading up? It wakes our heart's up a bit!

Last year, Danny talked about the fickle, wishy-washy convictions of the Crowd. How easily they give in to popular option. One day they love Jesus for their own reasons. The next day they're prodded to convict Him as an ordinary criminal. This is so like us, isn't it? Just think of the "crowd mentalities" during COVID. Our reactions to news, regulations, government....masks!

Even Peter--the future rock of the Church--his foundation is shaken when His convictions fly ahead of His capacity. We all must face this place in our hearts. 

And, so kindly and confidently, Jesus bears the cross. The literal weight of wood...and also the weight of our own sins, struggles, betrayals, fears...all of it upon the back of Jesus. 

What heart-rending relief to be a part of this story.

Perhaps this is why we so benefit from reflecting on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and then Easter Sunday? It is a mirror of God's Spirit working in our souls, re-enacting the powerful work on the Cross in our own lives and relationships with Him.

May He be near to you this week as you traverse the road to the Cross with Him once again,