Tuesday, April 11, 2023

The Empty Pitcher



So as are most Sundays, and especially for extra special occasions, which Easter is one of the most extra special...things are a bit busy. This past Easter Sunday was no exception, with an added early morning service and breakfast prior to regular worship!
The flowers at church were lovely, brought in honor and celebration of those in our lives we have lost. 
My oldest daughter had some very special (home grown) tulips coming... so I left the "pitcher" empty, as I thought that is where they would go. There is something in the pitcher always...as long as it is sitting on the front table there is something seasonal in it. It is an old pitcher, I am not sure if I even remember who "donated" it from a pitcher and bowl set. It has been cracked and has no bottom. It has a beautiful design in earthy tones....but it is a broken vessel, which for all intents and purposes should be tossed into the trash bin. From the first time it was placed I have taken a liking to it, I connect with it, for one reason because it has been repurposed and most Sundays looks beautiful.  (a direction for another blog)

Back to Easter Sunday Service;
I was busy with the start of the service, and my daughter with the tulips was coming in a bit late.
She placed the vased bunch of tulips on one side of the pitcher and a special orange vase with a single tulip on the other side while we sang "Celebrate Jesus, Celebrate". I did notice and smiled as it brightened the table and all looked pretty! 
(And I am kicking myself for not snapping a photo of the whole table!)
It wasn't until later in the day as I was going over the happenings of the day...amazed at how God weaves a thread through everything...our randomness makes sense once handed over to God...He takes the fragments each individual offers and makes it beautiful! 
Then it struck me..."the pitcher was empty! No flowers got put in it!" And then quickly thought "how perfect!",  that the pitcher that always has something, stood empty on Resurrection Sunday!

How very appropriate as we sang songs and read scripture about the tomb being empty, there in the middle of the table stood a reminder that something beautiful that is usually there was gone.

Just as disciples must have felt, their beautiful teacher, leader and friend had died and was gone!  
And though they had been told, they were confused and shocked to find the tomb empty.
📖  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”  Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:5-8

The empty tomb was/is His greatest triumph, which is ours as well!
Because He walked out of the tomb, leaving behind the burial clothes, leaving death behind, we can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life, if we believe.

📖 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

🙏My prayer is that you BELIEVE in the Son of God, His death on the cross, and the empty tomb!❤️

















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