In-Between Day

⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. -Luke 23:55-56

We had a very moving Good Friday service last night.  I always thought of the slamming noise at the end of the service as symbolizing the tomb slamming shut.  But in discussing the preparation of the service with Pastor Chad, he pointed out a different way of looking at it.  He said to him, it symbolizes the closing of a book... the end of a story.    And the beginning of a new story.  Wow!  I like that.  I liked it even more when I thought about it that way when I heard the noise at the end of the service last night.  It held a sense of hope... the same hope I felt as the Christ candle re-entered the sanctuary as Pastor Chad read from John 1.

It helps to bring that sense of anticipation to this Saturday... this "in-between" day.  What a strange day it is.  It was the day the disciples were most confused.  It was a day of grieving for them.  It was a day of asking, "What do we do now?"

Today, we know the rest of the story.  But still... after a moving Good Friday service, we tend to ask ourselves, will it still happen?  When we come to church on Sunday will the black be replaced with white and gold?  Will the brass be shined and placed back on the altar?  Will the emptiness be filled with the strong scent of lilies?  Will the solemn music be replaced with joyful hymns and songs?  Will the "alleluias" be back?

What if we walked into our Sanctuary on Sunday and found Good Friday still there?  It would suck all the "good" out of that Friday, wouldn't it?  Even the hope of that Christ candle would be gone.

I pray each one of us will go to church this Sunday with that sense of anticipation with a little nagging doubt of "what if?"... "What if" it doesn't happen this year?  What joy we will find when it does happen once again!

Father,
Open our hearts to the wonder and amazement and awe that Easter holds.  Thank you that I know it WILL happen again this year.  Amen.

Joys:  The great job Anna Rose did as acolyte last night; Kevin coming to Good Friday service; Richard at home.