Parking Lot Meditations
Read: Philippians 3:10
Easter dawn found us sitting on metal folding chairs in the church
parking lot wearing jeans and sweatshirts in the chilly air. What a
contrast! The previous Easter our church in Chicago had heralded Easter with
a brilliant burst of trumpets and brass, rumbling tympani, melodic cello,
and the magnificent swell of a pipe organ. The ornate chancel was abloom
with tulips, daffodils, and iris, while the choir sang from Handel's joyous
Messiah.
Now we were stiffly seated on our flowerless, black-topped parking lot.
Suddenly, as the sun broke through the clouds, our small family of faith sat
in a pool of light. My rock hard heart that had been focusing on the
differences softened. Greetings of "Christ is risen; He is risen
indeed" were exchanged. We heard the Gospel of Christ's victory over
death. We sang songs of joy; we shared our Lord's Supper. Everything
important was present in that parking lot.
Throughout the world today church bells ring, choirs sing, and smiles
reign as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. While it
is a joy to celebrate with brassy bold trumpets and robed processionals, we
can know the joy of salvation in whatever form our worship of the risen
Christ takes around the world, in remote villages or dense forests, in
anonymous cities or desert battlefields. I know, because the Holy Spirit has
no limits! At Easter sunrise, the Spirit visited a plain parking lot,
filling our hearts with resurrection joy.
Prayer: Now is the time of God's favor; now is the day of salvation.
Turn us again, O God of our salvation, that the light of Your face may shine
on us. May Your justice shine like the sun; and may the poor be lifted up.
Amen.
Response: Celebrate Christ wherever you are! Celebrate Christ every
day of your life! 
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