The week before Easter, is known by many Christians as the Holy Week. For many religious tribes within Christianity this week is the most important week in their liturgical calendar. Some call it the Great Week and some the Holy Week, but it is the last week of the Lent Season and begins on Palm Sunday and lasts through the Holy Saturday, or Holy Sabbath.

What are we, as Christians, to do during this week which precedes the remembrance and celebration of Easter, of our Lord's sacrifice to provide a way for us to restore the relationship we once had with our Creator?

First, we must recognize the duality of feelings this event brings into the heart and mind of every believer. We rejoice at the display of love in our Lord's sacrifice, we rejoice at the path created for us to return to God, to the promise of eternal life in His presence. However, we also mourn and are deeply saddened by the need for our Savior to suffer and die in order for God's plan to restore us to Himself to be completed. We rejoice in Jesus' triumph over death but we are wrenched with guilt and sorrow in seeing Him suffer and thus are thrown into a complex array of contradictory emotions during this time of Easter. Following war, there are many soldiers who experience these types of emotions; being riddled with guilt at having survived while others perished and yet rejoicing for having made it through. This is most definitely amplified if there was a clear instance of someone giving their life for them.

Second, we recognize our own present condition as we struggle with weaknesses and sins we continue to commit in spite of our desire to not do so. A condition well know to the Apostle Paul as evident by his testimony & solution in the letter to the roman church. (Romans 7). This can bring about an additional layer of emotions as we contemplate our own worth in light of such a great sacrifice and find ourselves wanting.

I find that many times, the overwhelming power of these contradictory feelings throws us in a state of busyness. We try to be busy and be better so as to reduce the amount of guilt we feel. Perhaps if we were better we would be worthy of Jesus' sacrifice and death. Perhaps we can please God a bit more and thus show Him we were worth it. Often though, I see people confused enough by these contradictory feelings that they just throw themselves into whatever business will occupy their mind enough to push all the "weird" thoughts away. We plan Easter dinners and get together with friends, perhaps some short getaways to see knew things. We plan spring cleanings, we buy new clothes, we get busy...

Is this what our Lord wants? Is this what God requires of us?

To answer these questions I have to take a look back into the Old Testament narrative, at the stories of the Jewish people and their interactions with God and the things God required of them. What I see, is that although there were strict rules of observance during the different holidays and celebrations, including the Passover (which seems to foreshadow our own story and celebration of Easter), inherently in all that God requested people to do is the idea of REST, of stopping the normal course of life to REST. It seems that it is when we are in a state of REST that God's voice becomes louder, that His Spirit penetrates our thoughts through the grime of sin and impurities the world continuously lays on our minds. It most definitely contradicts the common response to Easter and the busyness it subjects our lives to. 

Also to answer these questions I must ask another question: Why did God plan Easter?

The short answer: to bring us to Himself, to give us access, to bring us close restoring our relationship.

I find it helpful therefore that in this week preceding the celebration of Easter it is most helpful to ask myself: Is this _________ (fill in the blank) bringing me closer or further from God?

Answering that question usually gives me a clearer understanding if something is worthwhile to pursue or if it is a distraction meant to spiritually harm me rather than help me. Thus, in preparation for Easter, I pray you focus and do those things that bring you closest to God. If your desire is to honor Jesus, I can't imagine there is anything more honoring than the fulfillment of the goal He died for. Earlier, I mentioned soldiers and the paradox of emotions they have to deal with after surviving war. Unfortunately some of them are not able to cope with these emotions and are sent on a vicious cycle of addictions and guilt induced behaviors that are unhealthy and destructive. There are some however who triumph over all the battling emotions realizing that they were given a new lease on life, a chance to live for two or three, or however many people died so they can live. We too, have been given a new lease on life through our Lord's sacrifice and therefore the opportunity to live anew, to live a life that honors the One Who gave us life by giving up His life. We can live a restored life, a life restored to God.

The answer may be somewhat different for you than it is for me, but I believe it must be framed by REST. God is calling us to REST in Him, to REST on Him and to REST because of Him. Let this be the simplest Easter celebration ever, and be convinced that as long as the result is you closer to God, you've honored Jesus for His sacrifice in the way He desires to be honored.