cell phones and a sacrifice

Cell phones and Sacrifice

It was Palm Sunday evening service and our congregation was observing the Lord’s Supper. We had experienced a wonderfully sweet time. We were right at the end of the service, which was running a few minutes late- and out of the silence,

…..a cell phone rings.

It played a happy little tune and took an eternity to turn off. Immediately you could feel the disdain. The air was thick with silent judgment. Discord filled the room. The moment was broken, the seriousness gone. The mood had been forever altered .

……….And I laughed.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the Celebration of the Table. In the severity of the situation. Of my need for a Savior. The price that was paid was unfathomable. The ransom for my soul was exchanged.

As we walked out of the room, I heard people saying “It was such a sweet time- until that phone messed up everything”.

While I understand what they were saying….. my mind kept echoing the same question.

How do you mess up a sacrifice?

The deed is done. The price paid. Death, Hell and the Grave have been defeated.

Funny- it happened on Palm Sunday , we were 10 minutes late.

The day we celebrate the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The beginning of Holy Week . The week where the world was waiting for Jesus to do what was expected- and he did just the opposite.
The parallel to me last night was uncanny- We wanted silence and somberness. The world wanted us to hurry up. The world was again waiting for someone.

The present collided with the past…. and we were offended by the disturbance of the Sacred.

Wasn’t that was Jesus’ life was all about? God being interrupted because we had a need? His holiness disturbed by our humanness?

Isn’t that what we now are called to do? Be disturbed from our comfort so others will know the price paid? What is a sacrifice worth if the value isn’t honored?

Now I know the Lord’s Supper is a time to reflect, to remember and to be so very thankful- but why does it always have to be somber?

Even the disciples left singing.

So I guess that is where I am today. Contemplating the sacrifice, pondering why I laughed, entertaining the absurd.

I guess I laughed because … well… I was reminded again to wake up to the wonder of it all.

That little ringtone was a reminder to me that somewhere there is a party going on. All of Heaven is celebrating . One day- I will get to hear the music- and while I am here- I am called not just to remember....I need to teach others to dance.