Why are you weeping?
I’m going to share a couple of stories about death and life that I hope will help us hone in on the wonder of Easter.
Years ago, I saw a fly in our master bathroom. I managed to swat it down, and while it was dazed crush it in a wad of toilet paper and flush it away. The next morning, I saw a fly in our master bathroom. I managed to swat it down, and while it was dazed crush it in a wad of toilet paper and flush it away. And the next morning, I saw a fly in our master bathroom. I managed to swat it down, and while it was dazed crush it in a wad of toilet paper and flush it away.
This went on for weeks, not necessarily every day, but most days for weeks. I don’t know how or why, but there was something about our kids going in and out plus the layout of that house that a fly, not two, would get in and wind up buzzing against our bathroom mirror.
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Freedom
Back in October 2000, Laura, Chip Thullbery and I traveled to Washington DC for the 25th Annual Marine Corp Marathon. The marathon starts and finishes in Arlington National Cemetery, with the finish line at the Iwo Jima Monument.
As we entered the cemetery grounds, I became overwhelmed at the site. A sea of white crosses as far as the eye could see filled the landscape, perfect rows, and diagonals. They continued along a road, which made a large circle and eventually came to the monument area. I did a little research and I have come to know that there are 400,000 crosses. This scene affected me deeply, I think for the first time in my life, I saw the bitter reminder of the cost of freedom. The hard reality, that the price of freedom is blood.
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Why Jesus Died
Back when I was a CPA, my favorite client was a bank. The bank had an officer named Jeanne who worked the front desk and answered the phone. By the time I showed up, she had been there well over 30 years and was clearly the matriarch of the bank. Her nickname was “Mother.” Even the bank president, who had started his career working under her supervision before moving on then coming back, wisely honored and valued her wisdom and influence. She ruled over all she surveyed in the lobby and she held court daily in the break room.
In the break room, her influence was visible. She had post-it notes stuck all over the place. Notes like, “If you make a mess, clean it up!” “If you pour the last cup, please make a new pot.” “Please make sure the refrigerator is closed.” “Anything left in here over a week will be thrown away.” And my personal favorite, “Your mother does not live here. Wash your own dishes.”
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