After the Great Event

Last week, starting with Palm Sunday, we had this week of triumphant entry, then dreadful betrayal, then the first communion, and then the surrender, trial, and finally the crucifixion of our Lord. The next week began with the resurrection and the celebration, "The Lord is Risen!" Now, Tuesday rolls around. The morning dawns and things get back to normal. So normal that at some point the disciples went back to fishing. Matthew may have gone to a few old contacts to see about getting his tax collecting job back. Other followers who had not yet met the risen Lord may have been checking with the local travel agents and booking trips to far lands. Jesus had already given instructions though, and those instructions went contrary to a man's first instincts. When the battle is lost we retreat, or perhaps run. The Lord said to wait. We have our normal after the holiday weekend too.

As the holidays approached and the celebrations and ceremonies took place, you may have put off thinking about some things for a bit. Then Tuesday comes. Whatever you put off is still there, perhaps it has even come back with some reinforcements. The disciples may have spent days gathering in that upper room, waiting and wondering... expecting at any moment for the soldiers of the temple to come bursting in to finish the job. Of course, the high priests and teachers of the Law were busying thinking the job was finished. The man on the cross had even spoken those very words. To those in authority, the words sounded like, "It's all over now... all is lost." To those who have the scriptures to read and to study, we read "It is accomplished!" A shout of triumph and not an admission of defeat. Tuesday is a morning of renewal after the darkness.

To the followers of Jesus, Tuesday appeared with more defeat and danger. But at some point, the Lord appeared to all of them in the closed and locked room where they had gathered to wait. I like the understatement of the Bible. "... they were startled." Well, yeah. Locked door, quiet room, dead guy popping in like that, what's not to be startled about? The Bible might have stated that most achieved lift off from the benches, some fainted, and others grabbed their chests to slow down their racing hearts. Their first reaction was probably not along the lines of "Praise God, He is risen!" After a little practice in deep breathing exercises, they would probably feel a strong urge to all talk at once. However, Jesus said something like, "Relax folks, it's just Me." Yup, just popping in like that. Very relaxing.

When our Tuesday problems come back to assault us, we need to remember a similar thing. Jesus often reminded His disciples to not be afraid, to fear not, and to trust in Him. The problems we face on a Tuesday after the great event may be new, or issues that waited patiently for us to open our worry box again. Either way, Jesus is still in control of my life and yours. Jesus did not take a break over the holidays. The Holy Trinity did not have a leadership conference at a distant resort. And, our Lord is with us always, even to the end of the age; that is to say, no popping in and startling us half to death. Tuesday after a holiday may seem like a trip back to the mundane, but it doesn't have to be. Find Jesus in the Word and in prayer today.

Bucky