“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) .”  ~  Matthew 27:46

Later this month, we follow Jesus’ loved ones and band of followers to the base of the cross where Jesus cries out to God, then breathes his last breath.

Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? I was in third grade when I was ice skating at our local outdoor ice rink. I did a “toe pick” (where the front teeth of my ice skates dragged across the ice when I wasn’t prepared for it) and down on my stomach I went. When I went to get up, I couldn’t. I couldn’t get a breath. Nothing in. Nothing out. I freaked out. The young girl who was keeping the warming house warm, saw me, and skated over. She told me to close my eyes, imagine my lungs bringing the cold air, and blow out my mouth. After the second or third try, the muscles around my lungs relaxed, and the air rushed out of my mouth. I was embarrassed, and thankful, all at the same time!

I imagine that was how Jesus felt as he yelled to God—”why have you forsaken me? Why won’t you take me down from this cross and save me?” Then the air rushed out of his lungs, and he died. Embarrassed, maybe more for everyone else than for himself, and thankful that the pain of suffering of all the sins of the world—past, present, AND future! – was almost past….. Just a few more moments……

If we were to over think life right now, in this current time and space of history, it just might feel like a gut punch, and getting the wind knocked out of us. All of the pain and suffering, all of the death and decay, all of the loneliness and despair. It is simply overwhelming to feel and experience the immense unsure-ness of what each moment of each day will bring.

But at the end, after Jesus’ lifeless body is taken down from the cross by his friends, and buried deep within the earth; after the setting and rising and setting of the sun, the rising and setting of the sun, and on the third morning, the rising of the sun, we find a stone that has been rolled away, and grave clothes lying with no body because the unimaginable has happened! Our Savior beat death! While those who witnessed this first hand, may have had the feeling like the wind had been knocked out of them, 2000+ years later, we know the beauty and excitement of what that empty tomb means!

It means that, while we will all experience death, we will be given new life after death. It means that this new life will be better than anything we could ever imagine. It means that God—who created everything and everyone, to be in relationship with one another and with God—wins! LOVE WINS! It means that hope will always prevail.

This season of Lent has been a journey of looking at life through the lens of beauty, wonder, meaning, curiosity, delight, connection and self-giving. We are being invited to see that we can find new life in the ordinary things around us. By opening our eyes, ears, mind, and heart to seeing the awe that we are surrounded by, we are healthier, more filled with joy, but best of all, we are not alone.

God has so much planned for each one of us. Things may not go the way we thought they would—nothing does. But the promises of our Creator remind us that God is always working in and through us, for the greater world. our only job is to trust. Trust that God is working for good, and trust that the good is going to be more amazing that we could ever imagine!

So, when you get the wind knocked out of you—regardless of why—close your eyes, imagine the air in your lungs flowing freely in and out. Allow your body to relax. Breathe. Deep, cleansing breaths. In, and out. In, and out. Feel the cool air being drawn into your nose, and the warm air leaving your nose.

God is with you. God is as close to you as your very next breath.

Always Peace,

Pastor Heidi