Strange Days

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What in the World?

This seems to be such an interesting time! I’ve seen or heard just about everything from one end of the spectrum to the other this month. I heard a message from a pastor in Africa who is convinced that the corona virus is the result of 5G technology attacking our bodies (and the master plot of Bill Gates to control the world) and I watched as a family of six enjoyed a family outing to the local Walmart as if there was no such thing as corona – two adults, their four kids, zero masks, zero gloves, zero concern.

Hoarding continues. I watched two Christian women (I think they were Christian – big buns, long denim skirts, no makeup) desperately grabbing every square of flannel off the racks of Walmart. (It kind of reminded me of the night I went to Walmart on Black Thursday before Black Friday. I nearly ended up in ER because I was in front of the $4 pajamas!) I’m guessing the material was to make masks. I’m talking a cart full of flannel squares. I’m choosing to hope they are desperate to donate them to needy medical organizations and not for their own profit. (Side note: I’ve made some masks myself. It took me 5 hours to make three. Maybe I could track those women down …)

I’ve seen news articles both praising and disparaging our president for his response of the day. (Well that’s really nothing new though.)

These are indeed strange and interesting times.

Interesting but Not Unique

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, I imagine the times were every bit as strange and interesting as today. Maybe there was no pandemic, no conspiracy theory, no hoarding but there was still plenty of divergence in the climate. Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Zealots, Romans, and, of course, the regular every-day folks just trying to live life. Each with their own issues, their own agendas, their own problems.

It was into this chaotic climate that Jesus came as the solution. Not the solution of one particular people group but as THE SOLUTION for everyone. He didn’t address the temporal issues of the day but became the answer to the eternal issue most of the people weren’t even concerned about.

When he rode through those gates, he set in motion the ultimate strategy to overcoming everything the devil could do to humanity. The resurrection literally means Jesus had victory over the bondage of sin and death and he now extends that victory to us through the New Covenant.

The Only Agenda That Matters

I love the movie “The Princess Bride.” (Since we’re all housebound, you might want to watch it.) There is a scene in it where Miracle Max asks the mostly dead Wesley, “What’s so important you want to live for?”

Wesley’s bellows induced response is “true love.”

Miracle Max pretends he heard something else. He says, “To blathe! That means to bluff! You were probable playing cards …” He doesn’t want to admit that Wesley wants to live for “true love” because it a noble cause and it means he will have to try and raise him back to life.

It’s a great movie really! The writer must have read the New Testament.

“Hey Jesus, what’s so important you want to live for?”

“True love.”

Yes friends, the answer is the resurrection but the motive is true love.

Not judgement.

Not condemnation.

Not Heaven.

Not Hell.

It was true love that moved Jesus to step out of heaven into the chaos of the world. It was true love that caused him ride that donkey into town. It was true love that stayed his hand in the garden. And it was true love that emptied the tomb on Easter.

Nothing’s Changed

Whatever we are struggling with today, I pray we would find ourselves immersed in the knowledge that we are absolutely, completely, eternally loved. I pray the knowledge of his perfect love would drive back the fears of the day and hope would blossom in our circumstances. I pray we would increase in our sensitivity to his presence because he is ever present – even to the end of the age.

Have a Joyous, Healthy, Presence Filled Easter!