Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always in the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 23:17
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34.
“Still waiting”. Pastor Rory’s words on Palm Sunday. Waiting for Jesus’s death and resurrection. But on our minds that day, celebration. Jesus riding on a colt into Jerusalem, crowds waving and cheering. We waved our palm branches and honked our horns. Together in spirit on a joyous day. But still waiting.
I think that waiting is a way of life for us. We do it without thinking, “here I am, waiting again.” Waiting for a bus, waiting for a call after a job interview, waiting for a baby to be born, waiting for an answer to a prayer. Waiting, waiting. The list goes on and on.
In December, we waited for the Christ child to be born in our hearts again. A time of love given and received. A lonely time for many last Christmas. And now we wait for a pandemic to end. How long O Lord, how long?
Still waiting - for Good Friday. A solemn, heavy day. Our thoughts turn to Jesus on the cross, where even in his unimaginable agony, he was merciful. As we read in the Luke verse above, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
As we wait during this Holy Week, let us be thankful for the events planned by our pastors and church staff. Something almost every day to bring us together virtually and in person, six feet apart. Events to keep our minds focused on this most important time in our church year and to keep reminding us that Jesus died on the cross for us. And that on that first Easter Day , he rose and conquered death once and for all.
We wait for Easter Sunday, knowing that we are Easter people. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Joan Perlich