I am linking up for Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “empty.” I love spending time with this crew. They bless me beyond words. We’d love to have you join us. Just hop onto Twitter on Thursday evenings and follow the #fmfparty. Hope to see you there!
Judas and Peter sat with Jesus at the table. Even knowing that one would betray him and the other would deny him, Jesus still stoops down and washes their feet. It is an incredible act of love. From that meal, we move to Good Friday.
It is dark. Jesus is stretched out on the cross; his hands and feet nailed to that very cross. A crown of thorns on his head. In this moment, we see that the authorities have won and Jesus is about to take his last breath. But not before, Jesus looks to his mother. I can imagine a single tear in her eye as she says good bye to her beloved son. Then he breaths his last. The silence penetrating the darkness. Blood dripping from both his hands and his side. Blood shed for all of us!
Slowly, Jesus is taken down from the cross, wrapped in burial cloth and placed in the tomb. The stone is rolled in front of the tomb. They leave Jesus in peace and walk away. Three days later, the women come to the tomb and are surprised by what they see. This man–Jesus–who was oppressed and sent to die on the cross is no longer there. In this moment, we are awakened to God’s power as life not death and light not darkness have the final word.
Yet we cannot come to the empty tomb on Easter Sunday without experiencing the entire road to the cross. We must stand on the road as Jesus rides in on his donkey. We must sit with him and break bread together. We must watch as he breaths his last on Good Friday. Without any of this journey, the empty tomb doesn’t make sense!
So today, feel,, listen, and experience the depth of what Christ did for all of the world. Then on Easter Sunday, come to the tomb and find it empty as Jesus epicly has been risen from the grave. And proudly shout “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Allelulia.” And watch as new life springs forth all around us: flowers blooming, butterflies waking, and so many other signs.
But most of all, see the empty cross; the promise of God’s love for this broken world.
Thank you for your words. What a great prompt at a perfect time of year, huh? I hope you have a blessed holiday!
Thanks April! I hope you had a blessed holiday too.
I so agree – the empty tomb makes no sense if Jesus did not have to be placed within it on that terrible day. Today I went to an Anglican Good Friday service (not my usual church) and they read the entire story from the Bible about Jesus' trial, Peter's betrayal, the crucifixion, etc. It moved me so much, to hear those words and be struck again by the injustice of it all.
Exactly! The words always move me too.
I love this description: "the empty cross; the promise of God's love for this broken world". Happy Easter to you!
Thanks! Happy Easter to you too!
I'm learning to be ever more mindful of Black Saturday, when we remember that Christ had not yet risen. How frightening. Thankful that we know the end and can bask in the hope of a risen lord. Happy Easter, Tara!
I think many of us are trying to be more mindful of that dark Saturday. Yes thankful we know the end. Happy Easter to you!
it truly was a dark day…or seemed to be didn't it? anyone watching would never have imagined that it was a most glorious day for all of us! thanks for your post tara. i'm at slot 50 this week.
Yes!
Yes, empty cross and empty tomb–God's plan of redemption, the hope of our salvation. I saw a "found poem" in your words, and put it in my journal. May your Easter be blessed, Tara.
So fun that you found a "found poem" in my words. That's so cool! Hope you had a blessed Easter, Alice!
thanks for visiting my blog! despite my adding a little "extra" about empty Saturday, we're still both on the exact same page with empty cross, empty tomb! Resurrection Hope!
Resurrection Hope indeed!!!
Tara, this is beautiful. I like when you wrote, "We must sit and break bread together." This is such a good reminder for me, getting together wtih others and breaking the bread in His memory. Yes!
Thank You, Bonnie!!!
Wow, Tara! I felt the power of your words as I walked along on the journey with you. Thank you for the gentle reminder that we cannot get to Sunday without first experiencing Friday. Didn't realize that I needed to hear that in that way, but I did. This is deep on so many levels…
Thanks Tondra! Deep huh…I don't usually see my words as deep! What a sweet comment! 🙂
He is risen indeed! Amen!
Indeed! Amen!
The empty cross. The empty tomb. Fills me.
Me too!!!
I love your positive take on the word empty as you see it as a sign of hope and power. So true.
Thank You!
Very true! We can't skip a step even though we want to. Thank you for sharing it this Easter! Hope you had a great holiday!
Right!?! Hope you had a great Easter!!!
Tara,
marvelous!
Without the fullness of death, the emptiness of the cross meant nothing. Nor did the empty tomb.
"But most of all, see the empty cross; the promise of God's love for this broken world."
Our pastor spoke that "our cross no longer has a man on it", referencing jewelry that some people wear in memoriam. His point was the same as yours. The cross no longer holds Jesus captive, and sin and death no longer are able to hold us!
Love,
Tammy
(#2 this week)
Thanks so much sweet friend!