Good Friday and Hope

Today, during our 'whispers time' between the hours of noon and three o'clock, I found myself struggling to maintain the quiet disposition in our little home. With Babe napping, the other children coloring their stations of the cross coloring pages, I took a moment to step outside, and away from the rising noise level in our kitchen.

I sat on our front porch, watched a few cars pass by, and enjoyed the beautiful sunny day, complete with a fresh breeze on my face. I closed my eyes, and pondered in prayer, 'Lord, I haven't spent time with you enough today...today, when I really should. I'm just keeping up. I'm just going through the motions, and not really living the Passion with you. Lord, just give me a few minutes, and I'll take those minutes to contemplate you on the cross.'

I opened my eyes, and looked at the ground. Last week I was looking to see which of last year's flowers will re-emerge and what I will have to plant again. Sadly, I didn't see much coming to find the sun. But today, just when I needed a sign of hope....I found such a beautiful answer to my prayer. Last year's Star Gazer lilies happened to be peeking just above the mulch. It was the smallest green leaves, yet, standing in the middle of the broken wood chips and dull brown soil, I saw hope.

I said a quick 'Thank you Lord, I needed that', and went back into the house, motivated to keep teaching, keep the peace and calm, at least until 3.

Good Friday tends to get us down. We contemplate the scourging, the crown of thorns, the carrying of the cross, the nails, the suffering, the death of our Lord. We let it in. We find the consequences of our sin. And yet. It's not the end. Just like that tiny green leaf, peeking above the brown muck, yearning for sunshine, we do too. We yearn for redemption. We wait. We anticipate. It's not the end. We yearn... with Hope.

Comments

Stephani said…

Amen! Thank goodness Friday isn't the end of the story.

April 3, 2010 at 10:25 AM

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