Tip of My Iceberg

The sky was darkening as we drove to the field. John commented that there was a distinct possibility the game would be cancelled; we have an inordinate amount of thunder storms here in central Florida. Practices for the preceding two weeks had been cancelled because of lightning.

Two of our grandkids–brother and sister–were playing each other. Mason’s team had just played one game, and though he’s only five, he was fully ready to play a second. Brooklyn, who’s seven, was looking forward to playing her first game of the season.

Though Brooklyn is older, her team was considerably smaller than many of the guys on the other team. Mason was playing up a few years–he’s quite the competitor. He had veritable Goliaths on his team who were twice his size–and considerably bigger than the girls they played against.

Size didn’t keep them from trying their best. They played hard, valiantly going up against those larger or more skilled than they were. Even as the sky darkened.

Until the lights went out.

The dark made it impossible to see the ball or the other players. The game had to be called.

Endings often are unexpected and disappointing.

That’s how the disciples felt when Jesus was heading to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Jesus had made friends and enemies around Palestine. The religious rulers wanted Him gone, but the people loved Him because He saw them, forgave them, and helped them in their need. They believed He would be the king who would lead them out of the oppression they had under their bondage to Rome.

Jesus entered Jerusalem, and on that Sunday the people honored Him as their King.

“When He reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. ‘Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!’” Luke 19:37-38

What they’d hoped would be His triumphant entry into the Holy City became the place, five days later, where Jesus would be crucified between two thieves, the most painful and shameful way to die.

Not what Jesus’ followers expected. The darkness overwhelmed them.

The lights went out.

Three days later, Jesus conquered death and triumphed over the grave–another unexpected ending, this time one the Romans couldn’t imagine.

There is one ending that we can’t escape–our lives have an expiration date. These bodies we are in aren’t eternal. But eternity awaits us–and we get to choose where we will spend it.

Max Lucado, Christian author and preacher, stated, “We see a hearse; we think sorrow. We see a grave, we think despair. We hear of a death, we think of a loss. Not so in heaven. When heaven sees a breathless body, it sees the vacated cocoon and the liberated butterfly.”

Those who choose eternity with Jesus are those butterflies flying freely.

Unexpectedly amazing.