Holy Week Reflections

For those who know me or who have been around this space for a while, you probably have figured out that I love Easter week. I have loved it for as long as I can remember. Our church here had a Palm Sunday concert this past Sunday and it was a really sweet way to usher in the week.

As I was pondering Easter a few things stuck out to me. Holy week starts with Palm Sunday Jesus comes riding in on a donkey and the crowds laid down palm branches shouting "Hosanna!" They were welcoming the King, the Savior.

Yet, by Friday those same voices were standing before Pilot saying "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" It didn't surprise Jesus, in fact He knew that it would happen. Still, He willing went to the cross. He still chose to sacrifice Himself for the crowds, for me and for you!

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. ~ Luke 23:34

This verse always breaks my heart, Jesus knew our human hearts, He knew that the the disciples would scatter, that Peter would deny Him and that Judas would betray Him. He knew that there would be times when we would scatter from Him, times that we would deny Him, times that we would betray Him, and times where we would go from praising Him to condemning Him in less than a week. Still He chose forgiveness, mercy, and immense suffering.

I haven't made it through a Good Friday service in recent memory that I haven't cried at. When I think of the beatings, the torturous death, the mocking...and the separation from God, all for my sake, it brings me to tears. How could it not? It is devastating. So why do we call it Good Friday?

Because we know that Sunday is coming!

It is Good Friday because three days later Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death! This is the glory and hope of Easter, what a glorious day! Friday is Good Friday because for us as believers, it truly is. Without Jesus's sacrifice we would not have Salvation, we would have to pay the price for our sin, but instead Jesus paid it for us.

This Easter some ways we are celebrating is by attending services, decorating with Easter lilies, meditating on the Easter story and by inviting people to have an Easter meal with us. So I would love to know...

What are your Easter traditions?