Easter Serving

I woke up in a post-Easter haze. It was a great weekend, even though I didn’t actually make it to church. I made it near two different churches but not actually into a service.

My son, who takes after his father in a few unfortunate ways, forgot his banjo. Yep, I said banjo. He plays multiple instruments and usually plays bass for the church worship band. He’s pretty good, if you will allow a father’s momentary doting.

Yesterday’s Easter service was for four combined campuses of a large local church. They have it at Coolidge Park and last year 7000 people came. It’s a pretty big deal, locally. They barely “hide” 100,000 Easter eggs for the kids and then have a combined outdoor service. It’s the only time the entire church from all the campuses get together at one time.

That’s because it’s a big logistic deal to handle that many people. There’s security, parking barriers, lots of friendly parking directors and crowd control personnel and simply not enough parking space.

That’s church service one.

Suzie, Mom and I, were on our way to service number two at another church because this year it was cloudy and threatening storms. The idea of my 85-year-old mom hoofing it for a mile back to the car in the pouring rain didn’t seem like a good idea.

That’s when Billy called and told me his banjo had been requested and he couldn’t get out of the park.

So, I dropped Suzie and Mom off, hurried back home to get said instrument, and used it to get through the parking guard at Coolidge Park. I walked onto the stage like the sound tech that I am, handed Billy the banjo and reversed the trip just in time to pick the girls up again.

I hear the services were good. I’ll just have to watch the online video.

So, I missed two Easter services. But I performed an Easter service. Jesus said in His kingdom, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. He made himself a servant and washed His disciple’s feet. And then there’s this:

It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. (Luke 12:37 NIV)

Serving each other, in God’s economy, is not a job you must be forced or paid to do. It is, instead, an opportunity. It is an honor. It is a way to love.

What Jesus did on that first Easter when he sacrificed Himself in our place was the ultimate service ever done for mankind in all of history.

So, yesterday I got dressed up in my Easter finest (smile) and became a banjo delivery man.

Maybe, in time, I’ll work up to foot washing. We all have our dreams.