indeed!

Good Friday was in fact good. Better than good.

If you weren't at JRA for the noon service, you missed. You missed big. Like, you were alive in 1908 and turned down a pair of Cubs tickets, BIG.

The music was gorgeous, and the lighting was beautiful, and the words were perfect, and God was so there. And as I stood in worship, my heart turned. And the world filled with love. And God overtook me. And that's a lot of "ands," but there's more.

As John talked about the crucifixion, my heart sank. It broke. I broke. I'm no stranger to the story of the crucifixion. I saw that terrible Mel Gibson film. But today, the juxtaposition of the love of Christ, with the blood of the cross rammed into me with breathtaking force.

I kept asking Him, "You love me that much? You love me that much?" And the realization of the Truth came to me, in tears, and brought me to worship.

The reality of God walking amongst us is epic. But the reality of Him dying for us is... unspeakable. And yet.

I know that this is totally old hat for most of the people who read this blog, but I'm going to revel in it like it's the newest, and most amazing thing, because it is. To me. The realization of His love, and the hurt of His death gave way, as I sang, to the joy of Easter, of the Resurrection. Suddenly, and for the first time, I came to see why we celebrate. Through the tears, and the figuring out what the heck is going on in my heart, I felt joy. We were in darkness. But now in light. And come Sunday morning, we will celebrate giddily, as though to say "This heaviness that I feel now, the tears that course my face, will all vanish as He lives."

He is risen, indeed!