Let that Sink In

I wouldn’t consider myself one of the most liturgical girls out there. That being said, I have a strong affection for the church year’s liturgical calendar. I find that it offers time and space to adjust to certain realities. For example, in the church calendar, Easter is not only celebrated as a day, but also as a season.

Why is this helpful? If you look at the first disciples, it seems to me that the significance of Easter took some time to sink in. Yes, Jesus’s death and resurrection changed everything, but when you watch the disciples, you see them still locked up in fear a week later. Resurrection reality hadn’t sunk in yet.

Even after they left that room and returned to Galilee as Jesus had said, they didn’t seem to know what they were supposed to be doing. Even with Jesus alive again, they were a little lost. Lacking a better idea, they went fishing (see John 21). It was okay, but wouldn’t you think that the resurrection would offer more?

Meanwhile, Peter still carried shame and regret from failing to stand with Jesus as he had hoped. Jesus was alive, but Peter was stuck in the past, still needing Jesus to reassure him of his continued belonging and place in the kingdom.

The church calendar provides seven weeks every year to allow Jesus to show up alive in places where people are stuck in fear, lack of direction or purpose, shame, or regret. While a day was enough time for Jesus to change futures, as human beings, we tend to need more time for that truth to sink in.

Love offers that time.

So, if you want, here is your permission to linger in the Easter season. Don’t move on too quickly. Notice where you need resurrection reality to draw close and sink deeper. Stay. Wait. Watch.

Jesus is still showing up behind locked doors. Jesus is still cooking breakfast on the beach for discouraged fishermen. Jesus is still reinstating sinners.

Pentecost is the time of the church year when we see the empowerment that launches missionaries (see Acts 2). In the church calendar this year, that’s June 8.

Until then, maybe it’s okay if you don’t know what to do or feel a little lost or uncertain. Perhaps now is not the time to do a lot. Linger in the Easter season as you wait for resurrection reality to sink in. Do what makes sense to do. Or go fishing. But don’t bother getting concerned if you don’t catch many fish. Fishing is not the main thing you’re doing right now.

You’re waiting on Jesus.

And the wildly wonderful, mysterious truth of the matter is this: as you do whatever you are doing while waiting on him, Jesus is already with you.

Resurrected. Alive.

Let that sink in.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!