Today is Maundy Thursday. For all you baptists out there.....I didn't know what that was until I married Kevin. His dad was a preacher within the Methodist church for 40 years. Believe me, they know what Maundy Thursday is. I know the Easter Story - and the timeline. I was brought up celebrating Palm Sunday with palm branches handed out at church and then the week previous to Easter being a week of reflection. Then, Good Friday takes us into the Easter weekend right? No....we first come to Maundy Thursday. The Last Supper. The time where Jesus washed the feet of his diciples. The Maundy part comes from the mandate that Jesus gave at the Last Supper. John shares with us this mandate when he wrote the words of Jesus in John 15:12 "And now I give you a new commandment, Love one another. As I have loved you, so you love one another". That means even when it's hard and even when their feet are dirty. He washed his friends stinky, dirty feet.
I must admit I run through Thursday of Easter week usually checking my list to ensure my kids and family have the right attire for Easter Sunday. I don't want to be at the mall this weekend. There are way too many people getting Easter outfits and shoes. A couple of years ago, I found myself approaching Easter weekend and I had yet to go buy a new dress or anything new for my boys. As I was stressing out over this, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me and say 'It's not about new clothes, it's about new life. Have you forgotten that?'. Oh....wow. I had. I get wrapped up in the man made traditions I lose sight that the new clothes and easter baskets are tradition....but the Event....My Saviour rising from the dead....that is what I celebrate. He doesn't care that I have a new dress or that my boys wear color coordinating shirts. That is about me. These situations are where I have to think, Shannon - are they going to remember how they celebrated a risen, living Saviour or how their mom freaked out trying to make them look perfect? They will notice these things, you know it's true.
Today, I will make a point to remind my boys about The Last Supper. We'll talk over dinner. If you have the movie The Passion of the Christ, or anything else that depicts the Easter Story, watch it as a family. We need to be emotional about this week. We need to feel it....not just hunt eggs. A father gave his son...so that we could live. He doesn't care about new clothes or new shoes. He wants us to receive the gift. The gift He willingly gave all because He loved us so much. The gift of new life. Our kids need to see that thankfulness in our lives so they understand the holiday is about so much more than what Target or Walmart tells us.
Let's give a gift to our children and share that message with them. If you feel adventurous, visit a church that has a Maundy Thursday service. There are plenty out there.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I am so thankful for His gift. Have a wonderful Maundy Thursday.
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