Mt. Quandary (14,265ft) was my 13th 14er and 3rd for the 2020 year. I hiked this mountain on July 21, 2020. Our total time was 6 Hours 25 Minutes, with a total HIKE time of 5 hours, 48 minutes. Two of my friends also went with me and we had a great adventure.
We spent the night in Breckenridge the night before, which is a great place to be. It’s only about a 10-15 minute drive to the trailhead from there and well worth it! We started at 5:57am. The beginning of the hike was pretty “easy” for a 14er. It was in trees and had some steep sections, but it was relatively good for the beginning of a 14er. Once you get out of the trees though, it was a pretty decent hike from then on…plus, there are a few false summits.
The best part about this hike was the mountain goat! We named him Billy and he was big and super close to the trail! At one point he did start walking towards us which was a little scary at first!
We made it to the summit by 9:18am and ate our Uncrustables sandwiches …which by now you should know is my go to lunch snack for all hikes. (#uncrustables…sponsor me!) It was beautiful at the top! You could see several lakes from there that looked like glacier water. Then we started the decent at 9:55am, reaching the parking lot by 12:22pm.
This was a great hike, and a relatively easy 14er. It was one friends’ first one and another’s second, but we were all traveling from Texas, low altitude, so it was a great hike for us. There were a TON of people on the trail though, even amidst Covid-19. I was really surprised by the number of people on the hike for a Tuesday! I was glad that we started before 6am and reached the parking lot before 12:30pm though. It seemed like a lot of people started around 8-9am and it would have been way more crowded of a hike.
Another great part of this hike was that after we were done, we only had a 10-15 minute drive back to Breckenridge! Staying in Breck really is the only way to hike this!
If you are looking for an easy first or second (or 13th) fourteener to conquer! The views are great, it’s a popular hike, and it should take you about 6 hours! Best of luck out there friends!
I explored a new part of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) that I hadn’t hiked before. My traditional hike is up to Emerald Lake, but we were in for a bigger, longer, and more difficult hike. And we definitely found it!
We hit the trailhead (after having to ride the shuttle because it’s #summer and everyone is in RMNP…) at 7:52am! This was a great time to start despite there being more people than I expected in the park during Covid-19….but it was a Saturday so that explains it a little.
Anyways, we started out the hike and it was honestly really easy. We read that this was a “difficult” hike yet nothing seemed difficult at all. It was a great trail, well marked, and extremely beautiful! We made it to Alberta Falls pretty quickly and stopped to take some pictures! The waterfalls along this trail were phenomenal.
We continued to hike and came to Loch Lake! This lake is INCREDIBLE. Seriously. Even if you only make it to this lake, it would be well worth your time. The trail hugs the side of the water most of the time so you have a great view of the lake as you make your way around. There were picnics and people fishing all around the lake. (On the way back we stopped to hammock by the lake for a little break, while we enjoyed the fresh air and great views!)
After hiking around the lake, the trail begins to get steeper, but still not at “difficult” level. There were a lot more steps and a steeper incline that led right up to the base of another waterfall.
Only this time… you have to hike up the waterfall! This is why this trail is marked “difficult.” Everything began to make sense!
(This is the waterfall we hiked up.)
We watched several people hike up and down the waterfall before it was our turn. By this point, there was a light off and on rain but either way we were going to get at least a little wet during this next section of the hike. We made our way up the waterfall, scaling the slippery rocks, helping each other out, and double checking every foothold to see if it was secure.
Once you make it over Timberline Falls, you reach Mirror Lake. This is the lake that feeds into the waterfall and it was marvelous! From here you have to hike around this lake to get to the final destination, Sky Pond. Now, this should be an easy thing to do, and it is if you know where the trail is, but we didn’t. We got some “directions” from a couple hiking down from Sly Pond who said, “Yeah, you just go up and around. It doesn’t really matter where you go, you will make it.” So we took that as a fact and headed over the rocks… and over the trees… and into the bushes… and then under the trees… and then we were lost. And yes, we did literally hike on top of trees.
So that happened, but we finally made it back to the trail. (And yes, there is an actual trail that was literally 20 feet away from us when we got directions from the misguided couple.) We made it to Sky Pond by 10:50am, which is a 3 hour and 2 minute hiking experience! We found a place to sit on some rocks, eat our uncrustables (which are now a required food item for all of my hikes!), and just gaze on the beauty of creation that stood before us. It really was unbelieveable.
Until it started to rain more than just a drizzle. Plus it was cold rain…not the warm, enjoyable rain, but the cold, sharp, almost hail kind of rain. So we shoved the rest of our food in our mouths, zipped up our raincoats, and headed back down the trail (the real trail) and towards the waterfall.
Everyone made it back safe and sound, and we rewarded ourselves with coffee at Kind Coffee…mostly because it’s a tradition of mine, but also because we needed some warmth!
If you are looking for a little (or a BIG) adventure, then Sky Pond is a great place to go. I hope to enjoy this hike several more times in the future since it was so beautiful. This honestly may be one of my top favorite hikes ever, which is truly saying a lot!
The reason why I love hiking so much is because you get to see the beauty and creativity of our Creator! He made each of the rocks you climb over and the particles of water that fall down into the rivers. He knows exactly where each tree was planted and how long it has been living. The beauty of God truly comes out in His creation and I love getting to explore new places in order to see even more facets of His creativity!
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Think about the most delightful dinner you have ever had. What made it so great? The scenery? The people? The journey to get there?
After our crazy backpacking experience, which you can read about in my other posts HERE, we decided to ditch the last 14er and head into town early. We were all way more tired than we expected and we still had to backpack down the mountain and drive an hour into town.
With the crazy hiking portion of our trip finalized, we decided to go to the store and get a good, savory meal to cook for dinner. We grabbed all the essentials: steak, asparagus, potatoes, and wine. Then we headed to our perfect little Airbnb in the middle of an aspen forest! We took hot showers, short naps, and began cooking dinner. We found a small picnic table outside and decided that it would be the perfect place for dinner.
And it was.
This was the most delightful, content, and filling meal I have had in a long time…. dare I say, it was the best dinner ever. It is pretty hard to beat good friends, fine food, and cool mountain air. Plus we were completely surround by Colorado 14er… sitting in a forest of aspen trees… as the sun was setting… listening to deer prancing about in the trees nearby.
Yep, that’s hard to beat.
This was the most delightful dinner. And I think what made it so delightful was not just the incredible scenery, but also the journey to get to that dinner. We had just spent several days eating granola bars, oatmeal, and instant meals. (Though the astronaut ice cream was pretty tasty!) To be in a place where we had a hot meal (that was not made by heating up water) was pure joy.
The only thing we thought of that could make this dinner better was if Jesus Himself was there in the flesh with us. This truly felt like a dinner He would have enjoyed with us if He had been here in person. And yet, He was with us. He was with us on the mountains and during the cold nights and throughout the tough hiking. And He was with us during this most delightful dinner ever.
And friends, I can’t wait to have more dinners like this for eternity with Jesus. Can you imagine?! Eternity with Jesus is going to be delightful!
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Gentle and Lowly:The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund may have become one of my favorite books over the last few weeks.
This is a book that, as the title suggests, tells about the heart of Jesus. Dane is pastoral in his writing and there is a tenderness about this book. He relies heavily on two key theologians: Thomas Goodwin and John Owen (with some John Bunyan and C.S. Lewis sprinkled throughout). The works of these two men in particular are works that I was not completely familiar with prior to this book. After reading this book, I feel like I understand the writings of both Goodwin and Owen with much more clarity, though I still have not directly read their works.
When I describe this book to others, I typically say that it’s a book about the attributes of Christ. Yes, the attributes of Christ are the same as those of God because Jesus is God, yet this book reveals a lot about Jesus’ humanity and God’s true heart towards us. As I read this book, I felt my soul become lighter, unraveled, and more at peace. I didn’t feel like I was being condemned or shamed by God, but rather, like I was being invited to simply sit and rest, as He healed the brokenness of my soul and my misunderstanding of who He truly is.
This book reminded me over and over again that God does not look on us with disappointment and frustration. He does not shame us or push us aside. He does not remove His love from us despite our sin. I was reminded that our very sin is what God draws near to. He sees us and cares for us in the very lowest of lows.
One of my favorite lines in this book is a quote from Goodwin. He says, “O therefore come in unto him. If you knew his heart, you would.” How beautiful and secure is that promise. If we truly knew the heart of the one who gave up everything for us, we would not hesitate to run to Him, even in (and especially in) our sins and failures.
Overall, this is a book I would HIGHLY recommend. But please, do not rush through this book, flipping page after page just to get through it and on to the next one. Sit in this book for a while. Let the words of Christ marinate in your heart and wash over your soul like a refreshing drink of water. Let Christ invite you into truly see His heart for you. For He is gentle and lowly, and His arms are open wide for you.
This post is a continuation of our backpacking experience, but it also stands alone as a play-by-play of our double 14er day hike up Mt Belford and Mt Oxford.
We woke up pretty early after a shorter night of sleep due to our lack of planning and a strenuous night hike into our camping location the night before. Because of this, our group split up and two of us went on the adventure for the day while the others spent the day resting and enjoying the fresh mountain air.
We began at 7:28am from our campsite, which was right below the treeline at about 11,000 feet elevation. This is the latest I’ve ever started a 14er, but we also were technically almost halfway up it already! It was an additional bonus to be able to hike during the daylight for the entire trek!
We made it to the first summit (Mt. Belford) by 9:45am, which is a 2 hour 17 minute time. It was faster than I was expecting us to go, but it felt nice to have one mountain down before 10am…and before the wind picked up.
Mt. Belford – 14,197ft. My 11th Colorado 14er.
We enjoyed some PB&J uncrustables at the top (which always taste the best on top of a mountain for whatever reason), and then started down the saddle towards our second mountain for the day, Mt. Oxford. The saddle took us just over an hour to complete (summiting at 11:30am), and it was extremely windy. The wind was the hardest and worst part of the day since it never really let up and we were completely exposed on the tops of the mountains and on the saddle.
Mt. Oxford – 14,153ft. My 12th Colorado 14er.
At the top of Mt. Oxford there is a small hole that you can sit in to be protected from the wind. This gave us a chance to catch our breath and consider how incredible the views are from the top of the world… as well as consider the goodness of the Lord knowing that every peak we could see belongs to Him!
For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
Psalm 95:3-4 (NIV)
One of my favorite pictures from our hike!
The only bummer about the Belford/Oxford combo is that you have to hike back up Belford in order to get down. There is no other way. So technically, we hiked three 14ers in one day. 😉
(The saddle. The trail is on the ridge on the left side of the picture. This is a picture taken from Oxford looking across to Belford. The Belford summit is the tallest point in the picture, which is the circular rock area at the center of the photo.)
We began the hike down the saddle and back over to Belford at 12pm and made it just under an hour, faster than our way over which we were impressed with! The backside of Belford is a beast! It is one of the steepest hikes I’ve done, making it difficult for both the way up and the way down.
Once we arrived at the summit of Belford for the second time, we took a nice, long break, enjoyed some food, talked with others who had just made it to the summit, took in the incredible views, and let the sun warm up our faces. The sun felt so nice after being in the wind for so long. We took our sweet time up there knowing that we only had a few hours left and it would likely be in the wind…again.
We began our descent at 1:46pm and made it to the campsite by 3:38pm, just under 2 hours. Our total time on the mountain was 8 hours and 10 minutes, though our actual hiking time was 6 hours and 23 minutes.
Overall, this was a great day of hiking and we kept an awesome pace all day. We also saw a TON of marmots and the tiniest chipmunks you have ever seen! This was a really fun addition to our day! The marmots seemed to be continually following us up the mountain and we were totally okay with that!
At the end of the day, here are some words we used to describe our hike: Difficult. Majestic. Hard. Content. Achieving. Perspective. Thankful.
Everytime I make it to the top of another 14er, I am filled with feelings of gratitude and awe. Gratitude for those who make the journey with me. Gratitude for God to give us mountains to climb, legs to walk, and lungs to breath (even if it’s very minimal amounts of oxygen). Gratitude for surviving at least half of the hike. Gratitude for being able to experience a view that very few people ever get the opportunity to see with their own eyes. And awe that God allows us to experience His creation at this level.
Mountains make me feel small and remind me that God is big! They show me that God is majestic. I was reading in J.I. Packer’s book Knowing God this week and he says, “The word majesty, when applied to God, is always a declaration of his greatness and an invitation to worship.” This is what the mountains do. They declare the greatness of God and invite us to worship Him because of this greatness!
Today, I’m thankful for friends who hike mountains with me for over 8 hours, and a God who is gracious and kind towards us in allowing us to experience His creation at new levels!
I recently went on my first backpacking trip with some friends. I didn’t want my first time backpacking to be with only first-timers like me, but that’s how it ended up. So we did some research, asked some friends, bought some gear, and borrowed the rest. We planned out easy meals, shoved things into our bags, and then managed to cram it all into the back of a car and head to the mountains.
Oh, and we brought spike ball because are you really camping without it?! 😉
(The start of our journey up the mountain as the sun sets.)
We planned poorly because we started our trek into the campsite right as the sun was going down. This was a new trail I had never done and it became dark outside quickly. I had read up about the trail online multiple times and everyone said it was about a 1-1.5 hour hike in and then you arrive at a small, run down, old cabin…which you cannot camp inside of. (That was a key point that everyone made very evident on the trip reports.)
So the four of us were in the dark, looking for a small cabin, with way too much stuff. I’ve heard that everyone packs too much on their first trip though, so I think we were doing it right.
Well, we got tired really quickly. And it got darker and darker. Then we started to doubt our directions, believing we made a wrong turn, but unable to see where we were or where we were going. We came to a bridge that was made of trees just laying across the river. I crossed this bridge first to see if I could tell if it was the right way. There was no way to tell either way, so the rest of the group slowly crossed this bridge and we continued in the dark.
(The bridge was really scary actually. It was wobbly and unstable and looked way longer in the dark…especially with a heavy pack on your back.)
(The bridge! Not that crazy til you have a heavy pack on and it’s dark.)
Anyways, we made it to a good stopping place and two of us continued up the mountain to see if we could find the cabin or at least a good place to camp for the night. We managed to find several other tents and a good place to camp that was decently flat for our tent. We went back to get the other two and then headed back to our prime location… except we missed the spot and ended up further up the mountain.
But…… we found the cabin!! 🙂 This was a joyous moment as we realized we had made it and taken the right trail!
So we set down our packs, set up the tent, and then headed to bed. It was a cold night and we were on a slope so we slid down to the bottom of the tent all night.
But it was all worth it.
Our backpacking trek may have been less than ideal, but it was worth it because we were together, trying something new, as a group of friends. We were on an adventure!! And when you are on an adventure, everything that is less than ideal or things that seem to go wrong, simply make the adventure that much more exciting!
This was the end of our backpacking portion. Yes, it was a short backpacking experience, but it was one that gave us a good taste of what it would be like to backpack for a few days next time…with less stuff, less elevation change, and more daylight.
From our campsite, the plan was to hike some 14ers each day for the next few days and just enjoy being in the mountains. The camping area was right below the treeline, so we had some wonderful evenings of stargazing and incredible views of some of the tallest mountains in Colorado!
Check out future posts about our hiking adventures!
P.S. As I researched some of the info below, I came across a website that said: “Missouri Mountain Trail… is only recommended for very experienced adventurers.” So if you need any “very experienced adventurers” we are now your people! 😉
Trail: Missouri Gulch Trail near Buena Vista, Colorado
Elevation Gain: Approx. 1,350 feet
Time: Approx. 2 Hours
Distance: About 1.5 miles
(Trail on the way back, obviously, during the day and not in the middle of the night!)
I love hiking and going on outdoor adventures! One of my favorite adventures has been learning to hike 14ers. 14ers are mountains that are over 14,000 ft in elevation and Colorado has 54 of them (give or take depending on how you classify them, but that’s not a necessary conversation here). Anyways, I have hiked, as of 2019, 10 of these 14ers in Colorado and my goal is to hike them all!
I love bringing people with me when I hike. Yes, that is mostly because it is dangerous to hike alone, but it also allows others to experience something great too! Many times these friends are ones who have never hiked a 14er before, and they have all made it to the top! So in this post, I wanted to give some tips for hiking and preparing to hike a 14er for all the friends that will go with me on an adventure one day!
Find someone to hike with. Obviously you want to find a buddy to go hiking with you, but it is even more helpful if you can find someone who has hiked, climbed, or backpacked before …especially if you have never done those things! This friend will be a major help along the way, both with tips and encouragement.
Get in shape! You don’t have to be in the best shape of your life to hike a 14er. Mountains have a variety of types (or “classes”) of routes. These routes all vary in difficulty meaning that there are easily mountains that are much shorter than a 14,000 ft but are classified at a much higher rank in difficulty. Just because you are hiking a 14er doesn’t mean you are hiking the biggest, baddest mountain out there….just the one with the best view (in my opinion). So prepare for this adventure by getting in shape. Go on a walk every day for a few miles at a steady, quick pace. Going for a run a few times a week is even better! Do some lunges, run some stairs, swim a few laps, hit the bleechers. Anything that is going to get you working at a level with less oxygen than normal is the key. Be consistent with your training and remember the joy you will have at the top of the mountain! That is your motivation!
Drink water! At least one week before you hike, you need to start drinking more water than normal. This is essential for anyone just going to visit a high altitude location, and so it is life saving for those going to an even higher altitude (aka: 14,000 ft above sea level)! Drink lots of water, and then drink more. My coach in college used to tell us, “Drink water like it’s your job.” So do that.
Know the mountain. Before you head out to the trailhead, you need to do some research! Every mountain has multiple routes. Study the route you want to take and know where the trailhead begins. Check out 14ers.com or alltrails.com to see recent reports from people who have hiked. Learn from their mistakes and take their advice!
Gather your gear. Each 14er is different and the length of the trails and difficulties are also different. So for longer hikes you will need to bring more food and a wider variety of clothing. But here’s a general list that should get you through most one-day 14er hikes: camelback backpack (if you have this, it’s a life saver!), 1-2 extra water bottles in your pack, easy access snacks (granola bars, fruit snacks, apple, trail mix, PB sandwich, etc. …things you can eat while you walk), sunscreen, first aid kit, toilet paper, ziplock bags (for trash…pack it and keep it with you please!), LAYERS (tshirt, long sleeve shirt, jacket, rain jacket, etc.), hat/sunglasses, hiking boots (or good running shoes will work if it’s an easier 14er), hiking poles (optional), headlamp, good socks, gloves (if you are like me and have Elsa hands that are always cold) and of course, a sign that has the name of the 14er along with the height so you can take a picture at the top!
HIKE! Now you are ready to hike! Before you head out for the day, make sure to check the weather! Storms tend to roll in around 2pm in Colorado most afternoons. Therefore, you need to summit before the storm arrives. My personal rule is to summit every mountain before noon. So if you are doing a double or triple, you must leave early. The most common call for a rescue from the top of 14ers is due to lightening, so please, please, stay safe and forget about the summit if a storm rolls in unexpectedly early. Now, when I say start early, I mean early. I typically want to be at the trailhead by at least 5am, but that changes depending on the difficulty of the mountain, the number of peaks, and the weather. So just be smart and start as early as you can. (Which is why you need a headlamp because it will be cold and dark.)
So friends, those are my tips for having a great 14er hike! It really is worth it! Our God created these tall mountains, and I pray that as you stand on the top, you would realize how vast and unsearchable our God is! He is bigger than the mountains and yet He knows every detail of our lives! We will never understand all that He is and yet we can know Him personally. And I praise God, that He has given us mountains to enjoy and incredible views to see His creation! May the Lord bless you and keep you on your journey!
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
There is something incredible about sitting around a fire in the middle of nature with good friends. And if you find yourself at a campfire in the middle of nature with a group of strangers, I have no doubt that they too will soon be your good friends.
Campfires bring out this desire to sit, watch, listen, and rest. You cannot be hurried around a campfire. (That is, unless you are building a campfire on the brink of a storm and you only have so long to cook the food you brought before the inevitable downpour. And I’m not writing that out of experience or anything.) When you sit around a campfire, you enjoy talking, asking questions, hearing stories, and sharing stories. I’m convinced that there is something within us that was made for this.
I often think about the Israelites and how hard of a life they had. They went through a lot of ups and downs, but especially a lot of downs. They spent 40 years in a desert. They had a system of sacrifices they had to perform in order to be right with God. This group of people constantly had to build fires. These fires would have been used for food preparation, warmth, and sacrifices. (Side note: Do you think they got tired of their clothes smelling like campfires too?)
We don’t know everything about the Israelites and their way of life. So, I often wonder if they sat around campfires at night, sharing stories from the day and remembering the faithfulness of God. I wonder what things they thought were funny and what stories they enjoyed telling the most. And I wonder what it was like to build a fire in a desert every single day for 40 years.
I also think they were probably all really good at getting fires started and keeping them going. We often “cheat” this by bringing fire starters, lighter fluid, torches, matches, etc. This is a skill I’m still trying to master. But back to the point.
Campfires may be one of my favorite things. I think a big part of this has to with them being in nature, which I love. It is a joy to sit around a fire and stare up into the tall trees around you, hear the leaves crunch under your feet, smell the bark and sap of the forest, and gaze up at the stars. But the other part is that campfires bring people together. They allow people to sit, rest, and chat. They provide a place where everyone has a chance to talk and share because everyone has the time to listen. You may find yourself around a fire with some people you don’t know very well, but somehow, by the flames of the fire and with the reality that there is no place to rush off to, it allows you to feel invited in and known. The flames themselves provide light in the darkest of nights, creating an invitation to sit and savor for just a moment or two. The flames dancing in front of you allow you to forget about the rest of the world for just a moment. And there is peace. Rest. Joy. Delight.
If you haven’t enjoyed a campfire in a while, I encourage you to make one soon and enjoy all that it provides. Invite some friends you know well or some friends you want to know better, and then just sit and relax together. Enjoy the sounds and smells of nature. Talk about the past and the future. Make a smore or two. Be reminded that the God who created everything around you is so big and so kind to give us small glimpses of heaven. And sometimes that comes through something as simple as a campfire.
Sin is a battle. And lies are the fuel behind the sin. It must be fought.
The Bible tells us about special weapons we can use to fight against the enemy. And those who belong to His Kingdom are equipped with these weapons.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Ephesians 6:10-17
Each piece of armor described above in the book of Ephesians is to be used by the Children of God. When I read this passage I often think back to the book I read as a child countless times, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In this book we see Aslan give each of the children a specific and special gift, which is helpful to fight against the enemy. In the same way, God gives His children specific gifts to be used against the true enemy of this world. Yes, He gives each child specific gifts, but He also gives all of His children these pieces of armor to fight.
Armor is not meant to sit on the floor. A sword isn’t meant to just cut the Christmas ham at the family table. Nor are you to put on your shoes and stay on the couch. Each armor article is used for a specific thing and is meant to be used by God’s Children to fight for the Kingdom.
Is your armor on the floor? Do you need to pick it up? Spend time reading through this passage slowly and thinking about each piece. Put it all on and use it to fight against our true enemy. He is not flesh and blood, but rather lies, deception, and twisted truths.
And the only way to fight against the sin of this world, the sin in your heart and life, and the lies you are believing as truth… is to fight. But you must go into battle with the right equipment, not a butter knife and baseball hat. You must fight. You must not give up. And you must rely on the Spirit of God to lead and guide you as you go.
Good Friday, the day we remember the trial, crucifixion, and death of our Savior, is already a day of darkness and mourning for the Christian believer. This year, amidst Covid-19 and social distancing, there is an added layer of despair, loss, and loneliness we will all feel this year.
Imagine for a moment that you were one of Jesus’ disciples or a close follower of His. You went with Him everywhere. You saw the miracles He did. You witnessed the nearness to the Father that was displayed in his every word and action. You believed He was the Messiah, the long awaited King who would bring the true Kingdom. And you believed He came to prepare for war, a war against Rome.
But then He was carried away, put on trial, beated, mocked, and hung on a cross.
And then, He died.
Wait, what?! He was supposed to be the Messiah, the Savior, the King! And He died?! He was supposed to save Israel from Rome! Image the despair, loss, confusion, and grief that those who followed Him and looked to Him for hope and rescue felt on that day.
I imagine it was a feeling of deep separation, a feeling of incredible despair, and a feeling of disorientation. I imagine it was hard to get up the next day and go about life. And I imagine there were a lot of tears shed and prayers of confusion uttered through it all.
So maybe this is a helpful season to be in as we celebrate Holy Week. Consider how you can relate all the more to the despair of those who followed Jesus closely. We have so many of those same types of feelings right now. We feel loss of nearness to others because of social distancing. We feel disoriented with reality and the uncertain about the future. We grieve over the things we have lost, and those who have lost loved ones. We shed tears and utter prayers asking God, “Why is this happening?”
This year, we may have an added despair of Good Friday, and that is okay. I think there may even be a new type of sadness that is also felt on Easter Sunday when we celebrate the Resurrection in individual households because we are unable to gather together. And that is okay.
God sees your tears. He knows your feelings of loss and grief. And He has not abandoned us.
Holy Week is a reminder that He is the one true King! He came to die for our sins and to bring the Kingdom of God. Satan was the enemy He came to fight, and the grave shows His victory for all who would trust in Him!
This year will look different than any other Easter celebration, but maybe it will help guide us closer to Our Savior with greater dependence on Our God. Maybe it will cause us to understand in a new way the depth of sacrifice Jesus gave to bring us near. Maybe, just maybe, it will stir up a deeper gratitude and affection for Jesus. And if that is the case, then praise be to God! For His alone is worthy!
Morgan Marshall 