Waiting for the Son to rise

Some thoughts I was having on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday....

Holy Saturday. A day of reflecting on what happened and what will happen. A day of anticipation.

I can't help but think what that first Holy Saturday was like. I wonder what the disciples must have felt. They had just seen their very best friend and their Lord, brutally murdered before their very eyes. The shock and despair had to overwhelm them. They believed nothing could stop Him but He was laid dead in a tomb. He left them with a promise that He would rise and it was to this they had to be desperately clinging too. His promise. His Word.

I wonder if any of them faced doubt. Death looked like death. Death looked very final. They knew that they had targets on their backs. They were afraid, they were deathly scared so they hid in the Upper Room. They mourning, hiding....They had to wonder if the sun would ever shine again. I imagine that they didn't want to talk to each other much. Sifting through their thoughts, re-playing over and over their final conversation with Jesus. Looking for some hint of hope. I imagine them trying to fight off the guilt that laid so heavily on their hearts, because when Jesus faced death alone, they abandoned Him.  They ran. They hid for their own safety.

Where would they go from here? How did they approach that first day of waiting? I think maybe some were doubtful, some were afraid, but I bet they all had broken hearts. Maybe they wanted to full-heartily look towards Sunday and believe without a doubt that Jesus was coming. But maybe the questions hung too closely to see much else.

Can you imagine as they went to sleep that night before the most beautiful morning? They fell asleep with questions, despair hung close, but the sun rose in the morning; bringing with it hope. Bringing back their best friend.

The new day dawned, and the Savior was risen. 

And it all comes back to....Love

I've had alot on my mind lately. Now that can be a good thing, or a bad thing. A good thing when it motivates you, a bad thing when it leads you to stress and frustration. If you've read any of my blog before this, I've talked about completing DTS. Now that's it over and done, it's like I'm beginning to see the world in a new light. And it's starting to break my heart.

This has been brought on by many different things, but mostly just viewing the world. In a place where our value was in Jesus Christ and we were so open and honest with one another, and then to come back to the "world" and see where most people have placed their value in and wear masks that we can never take off.
    When have we turned from our foundations and looked for value and self-worth in the things of this world? When have we traded in our love and hope for nothing more than a conterfeit? We've lost all sight of what life and love really means.
    When I say "we" I'm generally referring to the world today. Society. I also don't want you to read this and think, "Well, she's coming off like she thinks she knows it all!" Because I don't. I'll be the first to admit that I don't. But this is just me, trying to search for words to match what I'm thinking. And, well this is the results.

I hate that the world has traded in "family" and tried to replace it with something generic. I hate that everyday I walk past people who don't know what the true love of Jesus looks like. I recently ran past a person who I heard say, "I hate going to church because it makes me feel like an outcast." What would Jesus have to say about that? It's heartbreaking to see that this is the world we live in. If you're a Christian, you may know what I'm talking about. This time were you feel like darkness is slowly edging out the light. And you know it's not, so you hold on and wait for the light of day to break through once again. That's where I'm at.

I hate that Christianity has become nothing more than another religion. And I hate the part that I play in that. I'll admit that many times in my life I've turned a relationship with Jesus into a set of rules. I've turned praying into a vending machine from God. I've prayed for answers, but never wanted to be a part of the answers. I claimed I "knew" God, but I didn't know who He really was. I was among the very worst of them. And that's when Christianity became a religion. That's when it became stale and I slowly started to die on the inside. I had to turn back to Jesus and really seek who He is. I had to realize I don't know everything about God and I had to admit that. And be okay with that. I had to get down on my knees and surrender. And it's when we do that, when we admit we need something more than oursleves, when we realize that we're not the center of the world and we don't have all the answers, that sweet freedom finally comes. When the grace of God steps in and meets us where we are. Where it transforms us into new creations.

I'm tired of the world not wanting to know Jesus because they can't see a difference in His followers. I'm tired of seeing the world die and knowing that we have the answer to eternal life. I want Christians to be radical again. I'm mostly speaking about me here. But maybe you fall into that category too. I'm done with this world, I want Jesus. I want to show the world who He is. And I can only do that through love. It all comes back to love.

"Give Me Jesus" By Jeremy Camp
"Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, just give me Jesus."

Happy Day After Christmas!

Now I LOVE Christmas. Everything from the lights to the tree, to the candlelight service and making food. But the thing I love most about it is the magic of Christmas. For me, it's knowing that two thousand some years ago, my Savior came as baby to save the world. Knowing that people all over the world are celebrating for the same reason you are. Spending time with family. And if you're anything like my family, playing Christmas Carols the day after Thanksgiving!

I get so excited and all caught up in the Christmas Spirit, and then...the day after Christmas, it's all over. It might linger for a few days but then back to real world. Slowly, the Christmas music fades, the Christmas movies stop playing and the decorations go back in the box. The stores take down their displays and Manger scenes get put away until next year. The snow is still here, but the Christmas warmth isn't. After we eat the cookies, return the unwanted gifts and take down the Christmas Lights, it's almost as if Christmas never happened. But then we're forgetting the real reason for Christmas is the first place.

 But a song by Matthew West really put into perspective why Christmas shouldn't be just one day. I think I first heard the song last year after Christmas and it really made me think. See what you guys think. I'll just post the end of the song, because I couldn't find any lyrics. But here's what it sounds like:

So take down the stockings
Take back the sweaters
Take down the lights
And the star and the tree
But don't let this world take
Your joy after Christmas
Take joy to the world as you sing

Happy Day after Christmas
Merry Rest of the Year
'Cause even when Christmas is over
The Light of the world is still here.
              Matthew West

Isn't that great?! It really makes me look at the day after Christmas a little differently. And if the Light of the World is still here, then why shouldn't we celebrate every day of the year? Let the World know why we are singing. Jesus didn't give us new life so we could live for one day, but every single day!

So here's hoping you had a very Merry Christmas and that you will continue to celebrate the meaning of Christmas the rest of the 364 days of the year!