Palm Sunday: We're Almost There
This Lenten season has been especially speaking to my journey. Our sermon series at McFarlin, Out of the Wilderness, has been the comfort food my heart has been craving. For the last few years I have been in a season of loss leaving me feeling helpless and alone, and at times doubting God’s presence or love. Asking “how long can this last?” But we don’t have to wait to achieve our own idea of worthiness to receive God’s blessing. It is offered to us wherever we are right now. Even in our own burly wilderness. This post is not a preach. Just my thoughts, reflections and take-aways from these last few weeks. It can be hard to find blessings in a journey of grieving. But it’s important to remember that we are not walking it alone; God is faithful even when the way is not easy or certain. And hopefully we will come out of it stronger than imagined.
“In the unexpected wilderness times of trauma, crisis, grief and change, God is with us.”
This week in Community Group we read Joshua 1:7&9 - Be very brave and strong…Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. It took strength for Jesus to believe that as well when he was troubled and asking God to save him from this hour (from the sacrifice he knew he would make) - John 12:27. Jesus collapsed asking God to let this cup of sorrow pass from him. And if Jesus could ask these things, why can’t we? We are human, just as Jesus. We should maybe be more gentle with ourselves, perhaps?
The wilderness, whatever it is for you, will not last forever. It is not God’s destination for us. While we may cry out to let the sorrow pass God will tell us, just as he told Jesus, that new life is just around the corner. That redemption is near. To just hang on.
Because Jesus chose death, we have the comfort of knowing the death is not the worst thing that could happen. New life is always on the horizon. The wilderness is darkness and fear of the unknown, but it cannot endure the light. I may not feel very brave or strong most days. But I will try to carry on in the belief that God is with me always. Easter Sunday will be hard. For selfish reasons. For Derick and I there will be no egg hunts, or grass filled baskets, or tiny little outfits, and we will never have my mom’s ham again. But I can tell you, that in a day or so when I have lost sight of this hopeful thought, I can look back on this post to remember -
