“It was a dark and stormy night.”
So it is that Snoopy always began his would-be novel with these words, oftentimes following them with “and suddenly a shot rang out.” I guess it’s just as well that Snoopy never tried to publish the novel or he might have been charged with plagiarism. Those now-famous words were originally penned by Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1830. That’s probably more than you really needed to know.
It was, indeed, a dark and stormy night in Atlanta on this past Friday, March 14. Soon after Mississippi State and Alabama went into overtime in their SEC tourney play, the rafters literally shook. It was as if a shot really had rung out. Folks in the upper bleachers ran for their lives. Insulation fell from the ceilings. The looks of alarm on people’s faces told the story of fear as well as uncertainty about what was happening. “Could it be terrorism?” they were wondering.
The tornado ripped holes in the building and did millions of dollars worth of damage in a couple of areas of Atlanta. Two lives were lost. Tornados don’t generally last a long time. However, when they hit, the skies darken and buildings are torn in two. Human efforts can restore the property damage, but they certainly cannot give back the lives.
I don’t want to trivialize a tragic situation. However, in the midst of all the loss and damage, several thousand SEC fans were disappointed that the tournament had to be moved to a different venue; and they were denied admission to their favorite teams’ games. As I understand it, there was even some anger because “they” couldn’t get in to see the games.
It was a dark and stormy afternoon on another Friday almost 2,000 years ago, about 6,500 miles from what is now Atlanta. I don’t want to trivialize a solemn “hour” by comparing it to the Atlanta tragedy; but the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The curtain of the temple was torn in two. Can you imagine the looks of despair and alarm on the people’s faces at the foot of the cross? They were disappointed, and some – no doubt – were even angry. The one they had followed had been crucified. They lived in despair for three days, some for even longer. They didn’t know what was really happening. They were terrorized. “They returned home, beating their breasts” (Luke 23:48). They did not know the rest of the story. There was more they needed to know.
We know the rest of the story, thank God! That is what we will celebrate this Sunday, as we do every Sunday! The restoration of the damage done on that Friday could not be made by human hands – only by the Divine hands. The life that was lost was resurrected. Our Savior was given new life by the One who created him and who has created and redeemed us and who sustains us everyday. That’s worth our worship – on Easter and always!
- Jim
