A Not So Holy Week

It’s Holy Week. This is the busiest week for any pastor. There are multiple services to prepare for. Big events at church. Tons of great things and people are demanding my time and attention. And on top of that, we are in the middle of selling our current home and buying a new one in Austin. Oh, and we have a toddler.

 At the moment life is chaotic, to say the least.

I have felt a bit guilty because I have not spent as much time as I’d like to in prayer and reflection on the events of Holy Week. Most mornings I wake up and spend a reasonable amount of time in the Scriptures and prayer. I love this time.

However, this past week has looked very different. Once I wake up my mind is flooded with to-do lists of what we need to get done to list our house next week and what the title company needs from us so we can close this week. Then Soren comes barging into my office wanting me to read him Mustache Baby and I still need to run through the songs for all the services I am leading this week and tighten up my last points for the various preaching I will be doing over the next several days. My prayer time has been boiled down to this…

Jesus, help.

This Holy Week doesn’t feel particularly holy. It feels overbooked, rushed, and worldly. But this morning as I was trying to read my Bible and pray, I was reminded that this is what real life is like. Real-life isn’t always quiet, peaceful, and seemingly holy. Real-life is messy and chaotic. But that doesn’t change the fact that Jesus is truly present with us in the mess of life.

I don’t think Jesus’ last week on earth felt particularly holy either. As he was betrayed and abandoned, falsely accused, and ultimately sentenced to death I don’t think he felt like life was as it should be. Yet, he trusted that his Father in heaven was with him. Amidst the chaos of his last few days on earth, he still cried out to his Father and trusted that his Father was still with him and was active in his life.

So, cry out to God during this Holy Week and ask him to meet you where you are at. Even if the only prayer you can muster up is Jesus, help.

Grace and peace ‘til we rise in glory.