Pastor's Penpoint - "Are we April Fools?" - April 2011

"For the word of  the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  1 Corinthians 1:18

I think spring and April Fool's Day are in cahoots! March came in like a lion, and was supposed to go out like a lamb. We had temperatures in the 70's and even one day over 80 degrees! The grass was greening, the buds emerged on trees and flowers unfolded from their long nap. It appeared new life was on the way - and we could put aside the dull dark and cold days of our winter.

Just when we thought we had it made ... it appeared we too had emerged and then, oh ... wait a second ... spring remembered April Fool's was coming and delivered us a sucker punch from behind. The temperatures dropped, the sky grew dark and once again cold and darkness clouded our vision of new life.

Isn't that true of this Lenten season that will lead us to the cross? Many were looking past the cross ... wanting to hurry this thing along and get to the new life promised in the discovery of the empty tomb. But the Christian life involves the reality of foolishness. Because to get to new life ... there has to first be death.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior walked this road. We have stopped short of His torture, struggle and sacrifice - but Christ bore it all. We have only to focus on Him, while he was focused on all of us. His hands were nailed, our hands are folded in prayer. His last words were forgiveness, our words need to be repentance. His lifeless body was removed from the cross, we are to remove ourselves from the sin that binds us. He was placed in a tomb, we are placed in a mindset of meditation and self examination. And that is where we are the April Fools.

We wait ... not patiently, but we wait for the news on Easter morning that the tomb is empty ... he is risen ... and our Lord is in motion. Our faith and forgiven souls join the excitement because that means we too will rise from death and be in motion!

Are we April Fools? God's strength as we await new life.

~Pastor Todd