A Thought for the Easter Journey
We have been exploring a number of mines recently as you will have seen if you follow Mals blog. Why? Mim (my wife asks me is the point?) The reason is so that we can work out the links between each mine so we can take on the Greater Nenthead traverse ( 9-10 kilometres 5 mines although some say more about the 10 hours it takes). This is proving to be very frustrating as we think we have sorted the route only to find that things are not quite as we expected. We start off full of hope think we have it sussed only for our hopes to be dashed as we fail to find the way we wanted. On a number of occasions we have been a stone’s throw away only just not taken the right turn. We look hard at the survey take a compass with us but when down in the mine the route doesn’t seem as we pictured it. So as I said it can be very frustrating and often is.
When we do find the way or find something new or get a better understanding of the mine then it all becomes worthwhile ( well for those of us who like to explore). We are able to piece together all we have seen on the survey any snippets of information from others or on mine web sites and our personal exploration and experience in the mine and our understanding grows.
I think for Jesus' disciples they must have felt so much frustration at times following this man thinking they have what he’s saying sussed. Yet every time they think they have they realise they only have part of the picture. There is so much more for them to learn and experience on their personal journey/exploration of trust and faith in Jesus.
The Easter period has such different emotions: highs and lows, frustration, pride, uncertainty, joy, the list goes on. From being powerless in what was happening to Jesus at his arrest and trial; the extreme pain and loss in his death on the cross to the ultimate joy at his resurrection.
The feelings and emotions that they had are the same as we often feel in life as we journey and explore who we are and where are we going. Whether we believe in God or not we are not immune from all the feelings & emotions of Easter. All of us have, or will experience the pain of a crucifixion experience in our lives, but also the joy of a resurrection experience in our lives.
For me one of the reasons I am a Christian is that I follow a God who through Jesus knows the joys and sorrows of life and as I journey through this life on Earth I have a fellow traveller who knows what I am experiencing and all that I am going through. Does that mean I find life easy, no way. Going back to where I started in the mine illustration, sometimes it’s frustrating on my Christian journey all the answers are not there, but sometimes the light comes on and I can see more clearly the next step - the way forward.
So whatever experience of life we are going through this Easter time I hope that we can know a God who is a fellow traveller who is with in our joys and sorrows our hopes and fears.
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