I've Got a Lot to do This Week

This week most of us are busy thinking about our Easter preparations. If you are a list maker, you probably have several lists by now. Even if are not a list maker I’m sure you have made several mental lists. There is a lot to think about, a lot to ponder…every thing from food for Easter dinner to clothing for the family to items to fill the Easter baskets. This week will be spent lost in a sea of thought and busyness preparing for a full blown spring celebration.
Take an hour or two think about what Jesus might be doing this week. After his triumphant procession into Jerusalem, opposition started to mount and Jesus knew his death was coming soon. I’m positive he spent many, many hours in heartfelt prayer with his Father drawing strength. He would need it to shore himself up to the Father for the “week ahead”. We know what the week before Easter holds for most of us but let me remind you what it held for Jesus. He was very busy teaching his disciples, some who knew his true identity some who didn’t, about the future-his imminent death and resurrection. He was teaching them about what they could expect before his return and how to live until then (see Matthew chapters 24-25). Also, in this week Jesus was busy with his Last Supper, his prayer in Gethsemane, the betrayal  by one of his own twelve, the flight of the disciples, Peter’s denial, Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and his victory over death.
The week for Jesus was seeped in prayer, betrayal, hardship, pain, suffering, torture, but ultimately ended in victory over evil and death. Don’t let any day this week go by without acknowledging the Easter gift that has been given to you and the price that was paid. This week as each of us prepare for our celebration think about the preparations that Jesus had to make to fill our Easter basket with victory…victory over death…life for eternity!
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee; ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. “Then they remembered his words.” Luke 24:6-8

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