From Pastor Zeke Page 1 From the Desk of Pastor Zeke Silence or Noise? “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid” -Mark 16:8 “And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” -Mark 15:37-38 Easter is coming this Sunday! The biblical testament of Holy Week is simultaneously noisy and extraordinarily quiet and intimate. Interestingly enough, God is found in all those instances. The presence of God permeated the final week of Jesus. From his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the final teachings offered to his disciples, his last meal, foot washing, prayer in the Garden, his arrest, his crucifixion on Calvary and in the empty tomb and beyond. God is present in all of it. I think this is important for us today because I believe God continues to be found in all reaches of life- both those which are still and quiet and those which are loud and busy. The story of Easter is, in part, that our story is still being written. What once looked like the bitter end became an act of salvation and hope and strength. Part of that hope and strength is that we serve a living God in which even death itself cannot keep down. We must remember that the presence of God is with us always. Life can feel lonely at times and can be so incredibly difficult. Often, in difficult seasons of life, we can feel abandoned and cut-off. Easter reminds us that God is with us even in times that seem completely hopeless. It is my prayer that we might draw on the strength and hope of life through faith in Christ. Let us celebrate the fact that “Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!” - Keep the Faith Strong, Zeke Wesley UMC Newsletter April 2021
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