Now the Green Blade Rises
Some of my most joy filled moments in the church have occurred Easter morning. As my kids came out of their beds yesterday I was reminded of some of these moments as spontaneously songs came to me,Ā āUp from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph oāer his foes.ā These anthems of my childhood often accompanied by a booming pipe organ and the voices of choirs are a beautiful way to express the joy and freedom we have in Christ because of his Resurrection.Ā
Yet, despite that joy, I felt a deeper sense that the joy was only fleeting or maybe more accurately, just a memory. You see, weāve had a really tough season as a family. Illness, uncertainty, depression, grief, and exhaustion have riddled our lives and rattled our faith. On top of that, our community has faced tragedy in many forms and it wasnāt long before I was reminded of destruction, death and broken hearts. As we drove to church and learned about the bombings in Sri Lanka my heart quickly settled into this place in between hope and despair and I fought the urge to sink back into the wilderness.Ā
During Lent, I spent some time reflecting on Christās last 7 words with fresh eyes as I read Christena Clevelandās content on Patreon. She gave me a new image of the tomb not as a porthole to heaven that finished Godās work on the earth, but a womb which gave birth to a work of growth and redemption. I reflected on this a lot yesterday as I worked to bring together joy and hope with longing, fear and sadness.Ā
Before we bounded downstairs to hunt for Easter baskets I hastily shopped for on Holy Saturday, we talked to the kids briefly about the image of the empty tomb and encouraged them to remember Christ has risen as they hunted for and opened eggs throughout the day. When I turned to Ruth she asked,Ā āIs he downstairs?ā.Ā We are an Easter people and I wish to remember that Christ has not only gone before me, but does in fact dwell with me now. The triumph of the grave is in fact a victory, but itās ok to feel deeply the reality that the work on earth has only begun.Ā
Iāll leave you with lyrics from an ancient hymn I discovered this time last year that speak a bit more true to my heart:Ā
Now the Green Blade Rises
John MacLeod Campbell Crum
Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
love lives again, that with the dead has been;
love is come again like wheat arising green.
In the grave they laid him, love by hatred slain
thinking that he would never wake again,
laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen;
love is come again like wheat arising green.
Forth he came at Easter like the risen grain,
he that for three days in the grave had lain;
raised from the dead, my living Lord is seen;
love is come again like wheat arising green.
When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
your touch can call us back to life again,
fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been;
love is come again like wheat arising green.
theartofmadeline
discoholicmusic
germansingergirl
kaledo-art
dailybridgerton
annaxmalina
titsay
stormborns