Quiet Wednesday

Wednesday of Holy Week - mad preparations taking place in the churches around the nation as Easter weekend approaches. Extra services in most churches. Special events taking place. Perhaps a breakfast or two to buy for and get set up for. Kinda sounds like what was taking place in Jerusalem 2000 years ago (or a little less that 2000 years since this was actually taking place around 33 A.D. and it is currently 2010. You do the math.). People had Passover meals to prepare. Lambs had to be purchased and taken to the Temple to be sacrificed. Then back home with the body of the lamb in order to get the meal together. Where would this meal be eaten? (On Thursday, Jesus sends the disciples into Jerusalem to get things ready. They were probably rushing around trying to make sure that they had everything.) Busy, busy, busy. Lots to do. So little time to do it. (I find I still have 4 sermons to write. Services are together. That is the good news.)

Yet, in the midst of this chaotic scene comes Wednesday. We know little or nothing about what happened on that day during Holy Week. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Jesus had gone into Jerusalem and had many confrontations with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. It had been a challenging time. But Wednesday was a say of quiet, peace, rest. Jesus knew what was coming and it appears that He spend this one day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A day of rest. A calm before the storm.

We could learn from Him. Yes, we have much to do. But that should not really distract us from the life we are given. We should stop for just a little bit to sit back and let the events of the week wash over us. Take time today to sit quietly and meditate on the Passion of your Lord. Think of what it really means for you. Think of the pain, the suffering, the death that you will not have to face because of what Jesus is going through. Yes, we will still have pain and suffering in our lives. We will still die. But it is different now. All because of those events that took place in Jerusalem nearly 2000 years ago. He pays our price. He faces our sin. He takes our death. And He gives us peace in the midst of suffering, joy in the midst of pain and life in the midst of death.

A quiet Wednesday - not a bad thing. We really should look at that time He has taken out of the week and realize, while we have much to do, we too should take some quiet time and spend it with the Lord,