Easter at Eola Prep

Well, we're nearing the end of hump day here in holy week as we gear up for the Easter event at Lake Eola. People are getting pumped! There is a street banner on Edgewater Drive, a mailer postcard that went out to the downtown area, and posters up all over the place. The staff and I have been working on this event for a few weeks now, it's the biggest thing we've ever done, and we're coming along really well on the preparations.

I was just talking with Chad, our worship leader, and we were both realizing that we've got this odd feeling that we feel like we've gotten done most of what we need to do. It feels like most everything is in place. My last big thing was to email all the volunteers who are helping to finalize all the details for them of where they need to be and when. I've sent that out and now its about just maintenance on that, shifting people around if they need to be shifted. I hope that there is a time in the next couple days, even just a few minutes here or there, to focus on Jesus, to pray, as Brennan Manning puts it, "for a moment, listen to the Rabbi's heartbeat." What does Jesus' heart beat for? For me. For you. For the poor. For those who he wants to bring into his arms...and some of those people will find him this Sunday.

As we get closer, volunteers, lets remember that this is Holy Week, the passion of our lover, Jesus Christ. We have died and been raised with him, and we now live his life (Galatians 2:20, Romans 6). We have this great wonderful gift, this relationship with Jesus, and we can either bless others with it, or keep it to ourselves. This Sunday at Lake Eola, we are about spreading it. We are about being a pipe, not a bucket.

Just stop for a moment and put yourself in that park, among the crowd, and imagine you look over and in the crowd is Jesus. Smiling, putting a hand of reassurance on a single mom as he pats the head of her child, who is showing her the eggs he found at the egg hunt. You start walking toward him, but He walks over and grabs a bag of groceries, hands it to a man and says, "This bread will help you live today, and it's a small token of my love for you. I am the bread of life. If you come to me, you'll never go hungry, and if you believe in me, I will satisfy these thirsts in your soul that you live with day in and day out." He prays a short prayer and sends them on their way.

When you worship Jesus this weekend, remember that he is there among us, smiling, utterly worthy of all our praise. And worthy of all our work on his behalf this weekend. Holy Spirit, the presence of Christ in us, will work mightily in people's hearts this weekend as we do our jobs excellently.