Mar 12 - "Roller Coaster"

John 5:1-18
"For this reason they were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God."
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We are now two full weeks into Lent. As I thought about the reading today, when Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath and the leaders of the Jewish community at the time decide that he must die, I remembered the roller coaster of emotion we have coming over the next few weeks. Today marks the point in Jesus' story, when when the Pharisees have moved from mild annoyance, to apoplectic fury, to downright fear and hatred of Jesus and His message. Today, we realize, that the fulfillment of prophecy must come; Jesus is going to die.

It hurts my heart to even write these words. It can't be!?! My Lord and Savior has done no wrong...He is perfect...His message is one of peace, joy, love and healing! Why would anyone want Him to die?!?

Now, think about what is coming 25 days from today...pure joy and triumph! Jesus will enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as a King! The people will sing his praise!

But then it will come...the simple beauty of Jesus breaking bread with his friends at the Last Supper; prayer and supplication at the Garden of Gethsemene; trial and crucifixtion on Good Friday; death.

Feel like a roller coaster ?

Our lives are this way, if we think about it. There is joy and pain, triumph and tragedy, love realized and love lost. Almost every day, we experience and look forward to things we can't wait to come and things for whose arrival we dread. But all of these things, similar to this time of Lent, are important parts of Our Story. If one element is left out, one thing passed over, the experience loses dimension and can ring hollow. The sweet ain't as sweet without the bitter.

So, drink in life's rich and varied bouquet. Ride the roller coaster! Because, even with the sadness of Jesus' impending pain we see today, we know how the story ends...