It is my favorite week of the year. As the years go by, I am
increasingly curious about how those last days played out for Jesus and humbled by what it means to me personally. Accurate or not, I have a strong visual in my mind about how it all might have been due to an opportunity when I was young to participate in the Passion Play for a summer.
Even today, as I hear bits and pieces of the passion story, I have memories of walking through the rocky streets of the set in the Ozarks as I was bartering with the vendors, sitting in the trees above the Garden of Gethsemane waiting for Judas and the soldiers to appear, or standing in the crowd at Pilot ‘s Court shouting, “Give us Barabbas” and “Crucify Him!”
At the time I didn’t realize what a gift it was to have that as a part of my story. I always knew that summer was special, but I didn’t know its meaning would grow for me as my relationship with Christ grew one Bible study at a time over many, many years. Back then I had no concept of the gift I received in Christ’s death; the play was just a cool experience and a fun story to share with friends. I really didn’t tie the event in history to my actions. I didn’t understand the politics of what was happening then, the significance of the torn curtain in the Temple, the impossibility of moving the stone from the tomb.
Today, as I ponder the events of that week so long ago, I am eternally grateful for that gift and, as a result, I strive daily to live life as He wants me to. I often struggle to know exactly what it is I should be doing. You see, that is the thing. We don’t always know exactly what God’s will is for us. Jesus had a clear vision of it as He went into Holy Week and He asked God that if there was any way to avoid it, that it be changed. God’s answer as no. Instead, God gave him the power and the strength to get through it.
He will do the same for us. Whatever it is He asks of us, He will give us the courage and the ability to do it. So as you journey through this week, consider the moments that Christ endured on the way to the cross. Imagine what it must have been like. Feel the suffering. Feel His pain. Then, as you encounter others who are struggling with challenges of life, put yourself in their shoes and ask if maybe, just maybe, it is God’s will that you be kind to that person or help them out in some way. Or is it something bigger that takes much more courage? Listen, be patient, study scripture, and pray. You will find the path God is leading you on and, if by chance you stray from it, He will gently guide you back to his plan for you.
Churches throughout the world commemorated Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem today, but the real triumph doesn’t come until next week. Unlike the people who were there, we know the end of the story. We know the details of what will happen between today and next Sunday and that it is a story with a happy ending. Don’t skip the pain and sorrow to get there though, as that is what makes it our story and is what makes it real for us. Have a blessed Holy Week, my friend.
