I remember when I had the mumps. My painful, swollen jaw along with the fever that made me feel miserable was bad enough. What I hated worse was being banished to my room because I was contagious, and my father had never had mumps. He would stand at the door and check on me. But that just wasn’t the same. I didn’t have a place at the dinner table. I didn’t get a ride on his back when it was bedtime. I couldn’t have a hug.
I never imagined myself in the same predicament in my contemporary world.
You didn’t either.
This unbelievable, never expected, farthest possibility from our small thinking has changed our world, both the whole of it and our tiny part of it.
And at Easter!
Some would say Christmas would have been worse. But at Christmas we like to be closed in with family. At Easter, we have just been closed in without a celebratory release!
That’s the way it was the first Easter. Do you remember the story?
Never had the disciples felt the need to lock their doors. After rumors of body-stealing and resurrection, they couldn’t live in the open as they had; it was too dangerous. So they huddled together, trying to comfort each other in their isolation as they tried to figure out what was next.
Is that what you feel? Locked away. Separated. Walls closing in. Knowing this isn’t a vacation, but it isn’t normal life either. A little muddled about how to use this time?
Then, remember what Jesus did when His followers were closed in after His resurrection. He ignored social distancing. He came close.
Came.
Close.
Have we forgotten that at Easter we celebrate the One who came through locked doors?
Jesus had made another boundary breaking journey. He came from Heaven to earth. He entered our world by cell structure and womb. What does quarantine mean to someone who can do that?
Nothing!
Like the disciples, we shelter in place trying to lock out our enemy. We try to lock out our fear, too; but it doesn’t work. Fear hovers because it comes through locked doors, too.
What does your heart need today? A hug? A direction? A reminder that what is invisible to you is always in plain sight to our boundary-breaking Lord?
Remember, Jesus knows how to come as close as you need on this day of quarantine and COVID-19 and there is no better time to remember it than after Easter.
So we will huddle, if we must. But we must also expect a surprise visit. We must be ready for Jesus to walk through our closed doors and deliver the most important message we need these days . . . .
Peace!
I'd like to offer you a musical blessing called "Deep Peace." It is both prayer and invitation. The first one is a music-only version from Spotify, a musical app. The second will take you to YouTube and you'll have to skip the ad to get to the music. The words are set against beautiful pictures. This is my go-to piece of music when my heart is in chaos. It always stills me. May it bring the peace of Christ to your heart, just where you need it.