Highways, Ditches, and Dirt Roads

Red Wine and Jazz

The overcast grey sky reflects the state of my spirit over the last while. I haven’t written for a long time. I guess I didn’t know what to say. Now I just want to talk a bit. Hopefully I make sense.

As evening descends on another day, and Desperado plays quietly in the background, I’m spending one more evening, alone. Of course, I’m not nearly the only one.

As I write this we around the world struggle with a global pandemic, and no one really knows what to do. But we isolate hoping that will bring us relief.

So, we are alone.

Actually, many of us are always alone. We live isolated lives. Sometimes through choice. Sometimes through circumstance.

But we are alone. We eat alone. We sleep alone. We wake up alone.

And empty.

No, not everyone who lives alone is in need of someone. I’m not saying that.

But our hearts ache.

Or maybe it’s just me. But I don’t think so.

So, I open the wine and turn on some jazz. I didn’t used to be a huge jazz fan but there’s something about the soulful notes that soothes my heart.

I prefer red wine. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s just habit.

Tomorrow is Good Friday. It’s a day to honor Jesus’ willingness to endure a Roman crucifixion to demonstrate the length to which He will go to restore our relationship with God.

On the night before, Jesus ate with his followers. He shared a meal, and bread, and wine. It was a Jewish Passover meal. I wish I understood it better. At the end of the meal he said he wouldn’t eat it again until he celebrated it with us in God’s kingdom.

If what I’ve written about the character of God is true, and I believe it is, then God’s purpose throughout history has always been to restore our broken relationships: Our relationships with others, our relationship with ourselves, and ultimately our relationship with Him.

And that’s what Good Friday and Easter were all about. The hope of an unbroken, restored world.

But it doesn’t fix everything here and now.

Here Covid-19 still rages. (It’s 2020). Here we lose family, and friends. Here there is still oppression and violence.

Here we still live in a broken world.

But there is hope for a restored future. And there will be wine. And there will be music. And there will be dancing. And He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

What a gift!

May the Peace of Christ be with you all. 💖