Saturday, April 11, 2009

Proper Emphasis


I won't lie. I haven't had the greatest of days lately. I have indulged in self-pity and sent out a mass of invites to the party. I have cried and complained and vented. However, in the midst of all of this it has not escaped me that it is almost Easter. I don't know if it is the cynicism of age that is coloring my views or if it is fact; but it seems to me that, along with Christmas, this holiday does not receive the fanfare that it did in my childhood. My church did not have the traditional Easter lilies (although they did put out a purple cloth and a thorn crown on the altar) and we attempted to sing a few worship songs that alluded to the cross but there was no rousing rendition of "Up From the Grave He Arose". We did have a Passover Seder on Palm Sunday that was very informational, but there was no dramatic cantata.

I willingly admit that I have been distracted by other things (my car, my sick son, my husband's delayed return) so it could just be that I have missed some of the excitement. Part of it is that I didn't try to do anything extra special. However, even without all of the "trappings" it doesn't diminish the reason for the season. Jesus died for me. I can't think of it at length without crying. The Son of God came to seek and save that which was lost- me! He endured a brutal, shameful death so that I could live.I can never be grateful enough...

"Surely He took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered Him stricken by God,
smitten by Him, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV)

I just didn't want the only really important part of Easter to be forgotten. Have a Happy Easter, or should I say Thanksgiving?

4 comments:

  1. I think this year for the first time in a while I tried to truly concentrate on celebrating and rejoicing! Just for me in and of myself and then tried to spread the joy to others by celebrating with them in egg dyeing and hiding, in Easter baskets, in chocolate bunnies, in new clothes and last but not least in worship.

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  2. I found two plastic eggs while cleaning today! Bonus! I have often thought that as an adult things kind of lose their luster. Foods that were divine as a child are not so great anymore (sloppy joes, spaghettios). Traditional worship music has gone the way of the wind, and beautiful Easter dresses are tougher to find.

    Still....I love passing on the traditions to my girls, and since they don't know any difference, it's tons of fun. I'm kind of a holiday junkie though :)

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  3. p.s. we had a Good Fri. service that was very reflective, but a bit somber, as it should have been. Easter morning was so welcoming because I could reflect on the fact that He is risen. It made me really think how the women must have felt in those horrible hours between Fri and Sunday. Can you imagine the joy in their hearts when they realized He was alive?!

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  4. Sorry about all of the stuff going on lately. =( Lemme know if you want to meet up some night for dinner, shopping, coffee, or etc. I have all this free time now... ;)

    ~ Jen

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