Important Symbols!

April 7, 2022

Important Symbols!

When I see a cream colored capital “N” on a scarlet background, I am reminded of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.  When I see a “Black Bowtie” on the grill of a vehicle, I am reminded of the Chevrolet car company.  When I see “Stars And Strips” on a flag, I am reminded of the principles upon which our nation was founded.

Symbols are important.  They can point us to deeper realities.  They can stimulate our imagination.  They can cause us to be filled with joy or sadness or even anger.  Symbols are important in life and in faith.

Next week is what many call Holy Week.  It is a week filled with lots of symbols.

There is a parade with palm branches, singing, and large crowds.

There are tables turned upside down in a place of worship.

There is a supper with a variety of foods and some ancient prayers.

There is a kiss on the cheek in a garden filled with olive trees.

There is a hard, cold, and dark jail cell.

There is a court room filled with false accusations.

There are 40 lashes in a public courtyard.

There is a cross on a hill called Golgotha.

There is darkness covering the earth.

There is a Temple curtain torn in two.

There is a dead body in a grave.

There is an empty grave and a Risen Savior.

I invite you to take some time next week to engage with and reflect upon some of the most powerful symbols of the Lord God’s presence and power in our world. 

When the symbols invite you to celebrate, take a moment to celebrate God’s blessings or a friend’s love. 

When the symbols invite you to remember what God has done in the past, take some time to give thanks for the Lord’s provision, guidance, and protection.

When the symbols invite you to trust or obey or serve, take a moment to consider the next step you are being called to go.

When the symbols invite you to pause and pray, take some time to have an honest conversation with Jesus.

Holy Week is filled with symbols that remind us of the goodness and greatness and generosity of God.  The symbols also remind us of the presence and power and provision of God. 

Even when our lives have been turned upside down, we have so much for which to give thanks to Jesus.  Holy Week is a time to turn our hearts and our minds and our souls to the Lord in a more intentional and a more focused way so we can remember how much we are loved by the Lord God. 

Let’s look to the meaning behind the symbols and be thankful.  As we turn our eyes and our attention and our lives to the Lord, our hearts will be filled with delight.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug