Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Holy Saturday! All is well here at 811. Bruce went very early this morning to have prayer and share with the residents of the Allred Prison through the Kairos Prison Ministry. He said the day was awesome. I have never been witness to prayer and share because women are not allowed, but I have heard these men sing and it is amazing. These incarcerated residents and the team that goes in to worship, pray and sing live out the hymn, “We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord.” 

Dear God, thank you for working powerfully today as you did for the Israelites. I praise you with thankfulness and joy.  Lord,, no matter the circumstances when I am in your will I am in a good place. Please help me fix my mind and heart now on doing your will. Thank you for this blessed Holy Saturday. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

I did a little research on Holy Saturday. When we were members at a small Lutheran church in Grand Prairie the pastor would hold Easter Vigil Services. His understanding was that Easter Vigil Services were for baptisms. All three of our children were baptized on Easter Vigil on the same night. It is a very long service and I begged the pastor to shorten the service as there were going to be a great many young ones in the audience. He shortened the service by ending the service just prior to when The Great Thanksgiving and Eucharist was to be shared. The pastor simply said that this service will continue in the morning at sunrise.  Holy Saturday usually goes unacknowledged as we are preparing for Easter Sunday.  In some traditions Holy Saturday is the only day in which the church is forbidden from administering the Holy Eucharist.  Perhaps it has the appearance of a day without the possibility of comfort. Perhaps that is why we distract ourselves with eggs, bunnies, baskets, clothes and dinner prep. Yesterday we gathered at the foot of the cross. We witnessed the cruel death of our Lord and Savior Jesus and we comforted ourselves in our grief. Yesterday, all eyes were on Jesus and today Jesus is nowhere to be seen. So today as we prepare baskets and sopapilla cheesecakes in celebration of the blessed resurrection let us take time to remember the death of Jesus, still in the tomb, our grief and sadness and how His love for us has cost us grief it is love and only love that is worth the price.

“My times are in your hand, deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant, save me in your steadfast love.”

Psalm: 31: 1-4, 15-16

Take joy in the journey and hang in there just a bit longer for Easter is almost here. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene