The Cup

We celebrated Easter a little differently this year. Aside from skipping chocolate (that’s a story for a whole ‘nother post) we tried to include some of the traditional Jewish passover traditions into our usual Good Friday brunch.

We’ve never attended a “Seder” before, and so had to base our plan off of the internet, which was more difficult than we realised; it seems there is a lot of variety in how a passover feast is celebrated. Hopefully, though, we got the gist of the thing right, and loved participating in some of the rich symbolism involved in the Jewish celebration. It is so awesome to see again how so much in the Old Testament is a “shadow of things to come” and points to the Risen Saviour.

Mostly, we focused on the four (or is that five? again, a bit of a pesky confusion) cups of wine which are drunk over the meal. They all have a very specific meaning attached to them. Flower Girl enjoyed running to check if Elijah was at the front door, before we drank the last cup, able to rejoice that our King is come, and we don’t need to wait for him any longer.

I was particularly moved by the cup which reflected on “God’s Wrath”. That might sound a bit morbid, but it was amazing to think of Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, praying “Abba,Father,…everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Is he referring here to the cup of God’s wrath? What a terrible, terrifying prospect to drink willingly from that cup, and yet he did, for my sake, and the sake of the rest of the world.

As we reflect on the enormous sacrifice made for us by God’s son at this time, may we also be impressed by the urgency of the task in sharing this Hope with those who don’t know Him.