In Luke 22, we read about the final days of Jesus’ time on earth. It was the day of Unleavened Bread. It was the day every Israelite family would sacrifice a year-old lamb, commemorating the time when the angel of death (who killed all the firstborn in Egypt) passed over their homes on the night of their exodus from Egypt. Aka: the Passover.
If I haven’t heard or read the story of The Last Supper 1,000 times, then it’s been 999. But perhaps for the first time, something stuck out to me as I read and meditated on these verses. In verses 7-13, Jesus gives His disciples, Peter and John, instruction to prepare for their Passover meal. Yet He wasn’t very clear on how to make it happen, specifically where they were to have it. So, they start to question basically, “How are we supposed to make this happen??” In verse 10, He replies to them, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
In the 999+/- times I’ve heard or read this; I’ve been so focused on the big story: The Last Supper that leads up to Jesus’ praying on the Mount of Olives which leads up to His arrest. From there it’s to the biggest story in the Bible: Jesus would soon be condemned, die an incomprehensibly brutal death, and face Hell itself all for my sins and yours. And what an incredible thing to know. It’s not only the greatest story of the Bible, it’s the greatest gift and sacrifice ever known to mankind. How could you not get drawn into the climatic portion of these scriptures where Jesus’ martyrdom on our behalf is recounted? He loves us so much that He stopped at nothing to make sure our transgressions were atoned so that we could live in Eternity with Him. But I just find myself forgetting sometimes that He loves us so much He also cares about the little things, too. It’s easy to find myself eyeing the big picture that when it comes to the little things, I get tripped up. I find myself questioning how all those little things are supposed to get done. Asking, “How? Where?”. But if I would just stop, put my focus on Him and not me, He will point me in the direction of the man holding the jar who will lead me to where I am supposed to go.
This Easter weekend looks a lot different than any other Easter we’ve experienced. I see people immensely overwhelmed and stressed with all the changes and adjustments that have had to be made. Myself included. So many questions….so much uncertainty. “How? Where?” Yesterday, I told my best friend that I can’t offer any sort of solution to make her life easier. That drives me crazy that I can’t figure out the little details to help people. That’s what I am good at. That’s what I live for. And I can’t. I can’t figure out the little things. I also told her I really hope we all glean from this experience the lessons we are needing to be learning. I don’t what they are for everyone, but I truly believe God is showing me that He has gone ahead, preparing the little details so that we come out of this better than we were before. We just have to put our focus on Him and He will give us the tools and instructions.
Happy (almost) Easter, friends.
