20/20 Vision

They say that hind sight is 20/20 meaning that when we look back on a situation we see clearly things we didn’t see while we were floundering around in the midst of it.  We have a “bigger” picture and see the story as a “whole” instead of being stuck in one chapter.   

The story of Easter is one that we look at with 20/20 vision.  Jesus life and ministry is culminated in the miraculous, hopeful, wonderful redemptive story of his death and resurrection.  We sing songs of praise and gratitude for His sacrifice.  We read the account in scriptures and are awed at the measure of His love for us.  We marvel at the disciples lack of faith and wonder – how did you not understand when He told you what was coming?

We somehow overlook the fact that they were still in the middle of their story.  They had just seen the most phenomenal human being they had ever encountered, their Teacher, their Leader, their Friend, the man they had walked miles with, eaten with, and loved, handed over to the authorities by one of their own. They watched as He was beaten, humiliated, and crucified, without saying a word in His own defence.  Imagine the shock and disbelief, their fear and uncertainty about what they should do, the despair and grief that it was all just OVER.

I can picture them sitting together shaking their heads in confusion and saying “what?!?” Trying to wrap their brains around the trauma they had just witnessed.  The next 3 days must have felt like a lifetime, existing in a fog, going through the motions, not eating much, asking each other –  “What should we do?  Should we have done something differently?”  Perhaps they were thinking about getting revenge on the Romans or even Judas  and possibly feeling guilty about those feelings as Jesus message had been one of love and forgiveness.

Can you feel the tension, can you sense the conflict raging within them, the disbelief, the hopelessness, the devastation as they tried desperately to come to grips with reality even as they wondered what kind of nightmare they were living.  And then – the resurrection – ahhh the sweet wonder of seeing their Lord ALIVE – what?!? Maybe some 20/20 vision started happening, but maybe not, their story wasn’t over yet.  

Where are you at in your story?  Are you at the beginning of a new discovery, looking forward a promising future and a happy ending? Are you looking back with 20/20 vision having come to the end able to see clearly the irritations and “whys” of the middle? Or are you in the midst of 3 dark days, barely able to tell which direction is up, not understanding why all this is happening, what to do, and wondering if it will ever end?!?  What will your response be – can you choose to believe that at some point in the future you will be able to look back with a different perspective than the one you have right now?  Can you cling to the TRUTH you know and try to hang on with the knowledge that the 3 days of darkness won’t last forever?  The Easter story is one of HOPE – it shows us that our God is all powerful, and we can take that hope into our own lives knowing that our story here on earth is not over – the end of our story has not yet been revealed.  Right now only God has 20/20 vision.

11 comments April 17, 2011