BIAY - Matthew 28 - Phoboschara

Yes I made up that Greek word.  It is actually a conjunction of phobos and chara - two words that factor in this last chapter of Matthew.  In verse 8, we read that Mary and Mary “left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy” to tell the rest of the disciples that Jesus had been raised.  Fear and great joy.  What a combination of two things that seemingly don’t fit together.  In reading that yesterday, I was trying to figure out what might reflect that combination and then I saw this book of poetry next to my bed.  It is written by a musician named Carrie Newcomer along with her most recent album and her poetry has been speaking deeply to me.  But it is the image on the cover that just speaks this to me.  There is such a joy and lightness to the image but it is a pretty terrifying thing to be riding something like that on a highwire high above everything else.  Fits pretty well with the path of following Jesus - at times it can be scary and other times full of joy and other times both somehow together.  Phoboschara.  I may have to use that word again...