Rejoice Friend!

"Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a Redeemer!" ~ Ruth 4:14

Not too long ago my grandfather and great uncle turned 80. My family went down to Lake Santa Fe to celebrate with them. I'm not sure why but the first night we were in Florida we had to stay at one of our relative's old house. We have never gone and not stayed at the lake but for some reason we had to that night. Anyways, we get out to this house and it is literally in the middle of the woods. It wouldn't have been a big deal but we didnt reach the house until after a couple of wrong turns (down one way dirt roads surrounded by woods) and several jokes about how this always happens before someone dies in a scary movie. I remember going there once as a child and thinking how cool the house was, however that was before we had been lost in the dark and before I had seen quite a few scary movies. 


You know the houses that are in scary movies- they're modeled after this house. Not only is it a little house in the middle of the woods, but in the living room there are huge glass doors that cover one wall and that's right- they look out into the woods. It had the air of being uninhabited as it hadnt been lived in, for quite some time. I dont always sleep well in new places anyways, and needless to say I didnt sleep at all that night. I dont know if you've ever stayed or lived in a house in the middle of the woods but night is dark and it is quiet. There is no light from the moon and stars pouring in your window, and there are no sounds of late night cars outside. This was how that night was. Then on top of this, there is a little bit of fear mixed in. This fear is thanks to all the scary movies that you watched as a stupid teenager which you haven't thought about since you watched them, but of course, now, it's hard to think about much else. With the three of these things combined it's hard to describe the anticipation of dawn. 

But then, there is the sigh of relief and a sort of joy when the first light finally trickles into your room. You've been waiting now for about five hours for this moment. You realize how stupid all those movies are and how stupid it was that you couldn't sleep. I don't know if you've ever That morning I was relieved when the light finally came in and I could not have been more ready to be back at Santa Fe. 

That night was a dark night, with fear mingled in, but it had nothing compared to 2000 years ago. While I thought those five hours dragged on, I'm sure it was nothing compared to the time in between Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. Those were the world's darkest moments as the world held its breath waiting to see if the Messiah had actually been slain. However, though those moments were dark, the morning did come and with it came forth the Hope of the nations. 

Today as you gather with your families to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, praise the Lord that He took on night to give us day. Rejoice friend, He has not left you this day without a Redeemer!