Messy Middle of Easter

 

Christ turns all our sunsets into dawns ~ Clement of Alexandria

 

Part of endings is that there isn’t always an instant or immediate beginning.  Not every sunset suddenly becomes a sunrise ~ there is a transition time ~ a space between what was and what might be.  Such transitions are what the Easter season invites us into.  We have gone to the tomb that became a womb for new life.  We have listened to the testimony of the women telling us about angels and stones rolled away.  We have run with Peter to gaze inside the tomb that is empty except for the emphatic, “Yes” to life and love.  Between the sunset and dawn there is a moment that may last a few days or years or decades.

 

Is there an experience of a sunset recently for you?  Our church is living through one as our Minister of Music, Greg, is stepping away from the position.  This is bittersweet as we wished him well and showered him with love for the new chapter.  The truth is we miss him leading us in the days to come.  I am still trying to get used to life as an empty-nester.  I still struggle with trying to discern what is mine to do?  What about sunsets or dawns for you?  Are there new experiences waiting for you in the weeks to come?  We will welcome new folks at the organ bench in the coming weeks, we will have visitors and my kids will move back for summer break.  Perhaps this is another example of what we call the “Already” and “Not Yet”.  We know Easter and new life happened, but don’t feel the full effect, especially when we read the paper.  I pray you will play with endings, beginnings, and messy middles today for yourself, family or friends, our church and community.  Try to hold the beautiful tension between the good moments of change and the ones we resist with our fingers in a fist clinging to control and resistance.  May you discover renewed life even when things seem the same as yesterday.  May you know healing, peace, shalom, grace, health, wholeness, and love every hour this day.  Amen.