Stuck Between the Worst and the Best?
Is that how you're feeling on this Saturday? If so, that's probably how the followers of Jesus felt on that Saturday between their worst Friday and their best hopes for themselves and the world. Stuck! No way to change the past and no desire to go forward. Despair is catchy.
But so is hope. Today I read just one verse in the Psalms. Then I gave myself a talking to and took a trip down memory lane. Maybe you need to do the same. The Psalmist asks a good question. I need to ask this when I'm discouraged or feeling down over what's going on in or around me. So here it is: "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again-my Savior and my God." (Psalm 43:5,NLT)
So, we who are followers of Jesus, know that Sunday's coming. And on Easter Sunday, Christians from around the world will proclaim the Gospel truth, Christ is risen! As Frederick Buechner wrote,"Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing."
But most of life is lived in between the worst and the best. So, for me and so many, it helps to look behind, when we're too stuck to look ahead. It helps to remember ways God showed up in the past with just what or who was needed at that time. Then dare to believe God will show up again. And again.
Hope knows,"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." C.S.Lewis
There's nothing like a nudge to look back at God's faithfulness, to help us spring forward full of Holy Hope.
And don't be surprised if JOY comes along.
12 Comments
What a timely and beautiful message. For this day between Good Friday and Easter, and for this chapter of our communal life. Thank you Jan.
Thank you, very dear Matt. I'm so grateful you are part of our family. Happy to learn Lily
made it home to California for Easter and isn't stuck in an airport line. As a physician, you know a lot about how quickly germs spread. The same is
true for lies versus truth, and fear versus hope. You are good at spreading hope, along with wise information to help us stay healthy. Or become healthier.
Miss you and the rest of the Cali-clan. Easter HOPE and JOY to and through you from your mom-in-love.
I was counting and giving thanks (before reading this) for times in my life I’ve been resurrected: from childhood grief (lost my dad at 7), from a hospital bed more than once, 2 years of neuropathies (one near death, at which time my neurologist later declared, “I don’t know how you give thanks, but you need to go light a candle or something because I don’t need to see you again!”. My resurrection memories surely give me hope!
Wow! Dear Radina, so much for which to be grateful. Thank you for sharing your resurrection stores and ways God
showed up. We all need encouragement to keep on hoping and trusting God in the middle of the muddles of life.
Sending JOYful Easter hugs to the Petrocellis and to you. I think of the Gaither song, "Becasue He lives, I can face
tomorrow." And because Jesus lives, we can "faith" today with courage, hope, wisdom and joy.
LOW
Low in the grave he lay
even lower than the hearts of his followers
all of them giving their adventure an "F"
and vowing to never be taken in again
whilst hopelessly facing tomorrow...
but wait, there's more!
Thank you, dear David, for sharing this. It's a deeply throughtful few sentences. You take us from the low of Friday
to standing on tiptoe to see what may be around the bend. You dare us to hope again, to consider the ache in our hearts, questions in our minds and lumps
in our throats may find relief or resolution of some kind. Jesus is full of surprises. Good ones. Thank God!
I love Ps 43:5, and most of the Psalms and God's Word! And C.S. Lewis is so good too! Thanks for sharing! <3
You're welcome, dear Wendy. It gives me a lot of joy and encouragement to hear from Gordon alums and friends, like you. As well as
to be part of sending encouragement to you to stay faithful to the finish line.
I read your words on Silent Saturday and it reawakened the hope-fueled optimism I am fiercely holding onto this year. Sunday has come, and the best is yet to be!
Grateful for your encouragement along the way.
And I'm so grateful to be part of God's team of encouragers for you, dear Norwegian sister Maggie. For sure, the best is yet to be.
Meanwhile, we help each other make it Home, and encourage others to come along.
The psalm for the morning of Holy Saturday was Psalm 88. It is about what I'd call "holy despair," that is, redemptive suffering shared with Christ's wounds. My emotions have been on a roller-coaster for more than a week now. God bless you, Jan, and all those you love.
Thank you, dear James, for your blessing and for responding to this blog. Christ , the Redeemer, takes joy in transforming our suffering into something beautiful to behold and meaningful to experience.