Who would have known that I’d be entering such a busy time of life! I suppose that’s just God’s grace–writing about rest beforehand has at least kept it in my consciousness, if not at the forefront. So! I fully intend to get back to my series on rest, however, as it is Easter this week, I thought I’d share some of my meditation leading up to it.
We celebrated Passover earlier this week. I love celebrating the Jewish holy days! They really are a catechism. It was so neat to remember the history of Israel, of God bringing them in to Egypt and then leading them out. Of His provision with the Passover Lamb and the foreshadowing of Jesus as our Passover Lamb. We also just happened to finish reading the Harry Potter series with our kids the day before Passover.
I know some folks really dislike Harry Potter and the magic in it. I have to say though that finishing book 7 right before Easter was so good!
*spoiler alert*
If you haven’t read the series, book 7 is a meditation on the end of Jesus’ life, on the kind of bravery that it took to walk into death knowing full well death was coming… of the bravery it takes to not act. I love how J.K. Rowling talks about love and sacrifice. Harry’s mother’s sacrifice provides a protection that sinks into his very blood and makes his very skin unbearable agony to Voldemort. At the end of the series, Harry’s own self-sacrifice protects all those he loves. And we see this with Jesus’ death. Once we have been brought into His family, we are protected. Things get difficult and painful in the midst of this broken world, but Satan is unable to effect lasting damage on us. We are safe, no matter what appears to be happening around us, not because of some quality in ourselves or because of some quality in our circumstances, but because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We are safe, both from God’s wrath against sin and from Satan’s schemes. It’s incredible! I love that we then take that safety with us every moment of our lives. Even if Voldemort were perhaps to stick a flaming hat on our heads, we would still be safe.
Reading through the Deathly Hallows reminded me of how much I have to celebrate. It’s always easy for me to get lost in the stress of holidays and forget to remember the reason behind them. I pray God brings special reminders into your own life to refocus you, just as He worked out the end of Harry Potter for me, so that we can really celebrate in the midst of the hubbub that surrounds Easter.
Have a blessed Easter season!
