Living in the 'in between time'

How do we live in the ‘in between time’?

Some of my fondest memories growing up were Easter Sundays.  In an Italian home, it was all about the sweet Easter bread that my mom spent hours kneading, breading, and baking.  Then, there was the pizé gran pie (you haven’t lived until you have tasted this decadent grain pie that is basically a breakfast version of cheesecake). But, of course I loved the floral Easter dresses, bonnets, black patent shoes and white lace gloves. New Life abounded everywhere from Church to the homes we visited. Even though I went to services on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the reality of those days didn’t really sink in until frankly The Passion of the Christ. Then it became more than I could bear.

Recently though, I have been meditating on the in between time. Those endless hours between Jesus’ death on the Cross and the realization of His resurrection. Even though Jesus told his disciples that he would return, they obviously were not fully aware what He meant since they were all holed up in the upper room versus waiting right outside His grave for His grand re-entrance. On one hand, I simply cannot imagine what that kind of waiting must have felt like. The hopelessness. The despair. The ‘sick to your stomach’ pain.

But then again, we do know what that waiting feels like, don’t we? The waiting for your child to return home after years of addiction and prayers that seem to go unanswered. The Godly spouse you have prayed decades for. The womb you have prayed would not remain barren. The job you desperately need while bills are mounting. The child who has died who you cannot wait to be reunited with in Heaven.  So many of these seasons of our life can overwhelm us as we wait in the ‘in between time’.

If you have lived long enough, you have lived in this season. You know what it feels like. And you wish the ‘future you’ would show up to tell you just how much longer you have to wait before God reveals Himself. My guess is as long as we cling to His promises deep in our heart, God can handle all the crying, the doubts, the questions, the accusations we can hurl at Him. Because God does His best work in this darkness. He brings the dead to life.

My prayer this Easter is that you reflect on all the seasons of darkness in your life. Jot them down, but also write down when God did finally show up. Write of those blessings. Have those nearby so when a new season of waiting is upon you, you can look at it with eyes filled of hope. Hope that will never fail us no matter how long we wait.

My prayer is that you are reminded how much He has already given you, how much He loves you, how much He desires to truly connect with you, and How much He delights in you. 

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4