In our Christian worldview, this week is called "Holy Week". I am not only looking at the symbols, reminders, and the passages that we review during this week, the memorial, but I am looking further past the gift of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. This week I am challenged by the humanness of Jesus. As one of my professors said in class this week, "From upon the cross when Jesus says, 'Elio! Elio! lema sabachithana?" which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.' He is actually shouting READ PSALMS 22 READ PSALMS 22!!!"
Psalms 22:1-2 1 says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do no answer, and by night, but I find no rest."
I look back and see that holy week is not a series of symbols, how to be a better person, or recognized that "Yeah, I sinned this many times this year, and this sin was a doosey", and the best experience you can give to a congregation during Good Friday service, but am starting to recognize the emotional heaviness, the heart issues, the actions and behaviors of Jesus as he was on trial, zooming back to His temptation and imagining what it must of felt like in his smell, touch, hearing, seeing, and tasting. I look back and listen to what my professor said and see that upon the cross Jesus was still quoting scripture just as he did in the desert talking face to face with the devil.
I look further back to the Old Testament times and I ask where was the Lord. where was His presence since the Israelites were so good at complaining about it; that they even chose to find other gods. And still the Lord was Merciful. I am starting to see that Lord has asked us in Micah 6:8 do justly, love mercy, and act humbly, but how. We look back on the cross and see that Jesus the perfect example still quoting scripture on his death sentence...how can be be like Him. Many people ask me, how can I change? What are the first steps changing the way I am? How can I? For a time I did not have an answer. I would alway say, pray, be near the Father, ask the Father to show you, to reveal what he loves to you, the things he hates, and to help you see through a different lens. Sound familiar?
Today reflecting back on Jesus' humanness and looking at how it must have felt like the deep emotional pain, the deep compassion he had for people, the prayers he prayed (yes, even on the cross he prayed that The Father would forgive them for they know not what they are doing." I can say that we are all sinners and we will never be exactly like Christ. It takes time, there is no 1 2 3 to being a better person. In the Gospel it says to be ready to answer and to go and make disciples among the nations and baptized them with water and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus had authority, the Father has also given us authority through His Son. And we too can exercise our identity in Christ. Many times in the Old Testament the Lord calls out to His people:
CONSECRATE yourself. (a verb: to devote, to dedicate, to declare, to change)
"Get up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord God of Israel.'" Joshua 7:13. In Philippians 4:8-0 it says that we should not be anxious, but by prayer, and supplication with thanksgiving make your request known to God. He says prepare your heart for tomorrow. He says prepare yourself for my coming, prepare to do my will, prepare to follow me, and take joy in those things. Prepare to answer to my calling. SO I look back and I see that Jesus had been preparing Himself for the Lords will the entire time, with scripture, with walking humbly and obeying the Words of the Father. The entire book of Joel we can see that the Father is calling out to His people to repent and prepare themselves for the Lord.
"Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord." Joel 1:14
"Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people, Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber." Joel 2:15-16
We know that as humans we have the five senses, we stress, we struggle, we make hard decisions, we face the conundrums of life...and so did Jesus. And I look at that Jesus as a man carried a heavy task...To obey the Father's will, which was on the cross. That must have felt incredibly painful, conflicting, mentally exhausting. It is no wonder that we see that Jesus retreats to pray in the garden, away from the city, to be with the Father. He prepared himself as a human being to be with the Father every day. So let us not look at Holy Week and Good Friday as a symbol, a memorial, or an annual experience. BUT in your walk in your journey, in your conversations. Go further and ask the Lord, how can I prepare myself, how can I begin to devote, how can I begin to dedicate my time, how can I change to be more like you.? Maybe for some of us it is renewing our vows commitment, and revisiting the Promises the Lord has for us. If you don't know what promises he has for you, ask the Father. Ask Him, and he will answer. This is a way to begin to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.
"Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber."
blessings and peace,
Janice Chau
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