Passover Blessing

A few days ago, Asherel bought Honeybun bunny ears. One is crooked, just like her real ear. She sighed as Asherel tried the ears on her, as always, ever patient and submissive. There seems to be no limit to what she will acquiesce to in order to continue to be fed in this warm home!

Her sweet nature made it all the more heart-breaking when yesterday, she stood up and then crumpled, her back leg seeming to give out. I called the vet instantly, fearing it was a repeat of her collapse a month ago, though not as severe. My dog friends had warned me that if she collapsed again, get her in for blood work with suspicion of Addison's disease. However, as soon as I made the appointment, she was perky, walking normally and seemed fine. I asked the vet if we could hold off on the appointment while I took her for a walk. If she collapsed again, I would rush her in. We went to the greenway, and walked for an hour. She was completely fine, eager, energetic, tail wagging. I guess her leg had just fallen asleep from her lying on it funny. Or perhaps God decided to grant us a miracle. Lord knows, we needed one.

And it is a good weekend for miracles. We celebrated our Passover Seder dinner last night. Arvo leads one for us every year, and I always feel joyful and renewed, and amazed at how perfectly the Old Testament pointed the way to Jesus, the Messiah. Just as the Jews in bondage in Egypt painted the doorposts of their homes with the blood of the lamb so that God would pass over them, and not harm them, the blood of Jesus covers our sin so that God passes over our unrighteousness, and we are saved.

I am always astounded by the presence of the "Afikomen" in the Seder. It is, inexplicably, the one Greek word in the entire ceremony, which is of course Hebrew. No one is quite sure how or why that Greek word slipped into the Jewish Seder, and there is some dissent on what exactly it means. One probable meaning is "He has Come." The Afikomen is the middle piece of matzoh that is placed in the center of the three pouch Afikomen bag. It is broken and then hidden at the end of the ceremony and the children are sent to search for it. Whoever finds it is rewarded. Asherel, being the only child still home, searched diligently (at first) for the Afikomen. When she didn't find it immediately, she lay down on the couch. We urged her to exert herself, and she finally returned successfully with the Afikomen. She snatched her $5 reward.

If the symbolism of the Afikomen doesn't slam you in the face, then you are giving up just as Asherel did when she plopped down in defeat on the couch.

He Has Come!!! Afikomen! Jesus has risen from the dead, and when we seek Him, we will find Him. Sometimes we grow weary, and the search is fraught with doubt and despair, but keep looking! When we find Him, we will be rewarded.

I have always felt dismay at the Easter Bunny. When there is such a remarkable, miraculous, wonderful story of Jesus bearing all our iniquity upon Himself, sacrificially bearing the consequence of our sin, and thereby freeing all of us from the penalty of death....who needs a giant bunny bearing chocolate?

Honeybun, nodding her giant bunny ears, heartily agrees with me.


Luke 22:7-8,14-16 (NIV)
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. [8] Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” [14] When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. [15] And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. [16] For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”




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