Up from the Gravy

As a child, I sat through church with wonder. Much of the wonder came from wondering what the words in songs meant. I was fascinated by songs with funky words in them like Ebenezer or Ebon Pinions or I could be amused by reading through the authors such as Fannie J. Crosby (which would get quite a suppressed snicker) or Horatius Bonar (which would get me taken outside because of the unsuppressed laughter). I actually attended a church that had very good singing but I never really understood much of the words until I got older...much older.

The one song that got the wheels in my head turning was the song about Jesus arising from the gravy ("Up from the gravy he arose"). I never understood why Jesus was in gravy and the picture of Jesus, covered in gravy, stepping out of a vat of cream gravy boggled my 5 year old mind. I guess two of my favorite things in life is Jesus and gravy, so it just makes sense to put them together in a song. And it just plain makes me hungry, right now, thinking of it.

But here on Easter, I am glad Jesus did it. I am glad he survived the gravy to save us poor saps who never knew exactly how he got there or what love it took to die and raise again. The song just brings a smile to my face, knowing that Jesus, gravy and all, loves me....even though I require much more grace than most of you who are reading this.

Have a great Easter today.