Becoming Real: 40 Days with the Velveteen Rabbit

Day 40 – Holy Saturday – 3rd April2010

To Read:

Autumn passed and Winter, and in the Spring, when the days grew warm and sunny, the Boy went out to play in the wood behind the house.  And while he was playing, two rabbits crept out from the bracken and peeped at him.  One of them was brown all over, but the other had strange markings under his fur, as though long ago he had been spotted, and the spots still showed through.  And about his little soft nose and his round back eyes there was something familiar, so that the Boy thought to himself:

“Why, he looks just like my old Bunny that was lost when I had scarlet fever!

But he never knew that it really was his own Bunny, come back to look at the child who had first helped him to be Real.

from The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams

To Reflect:

And now we are ‘really real’.  Easter is the time of new birth and new beginnings. Those who live in the Northern Hemisphere are fortunate that the world around them wakes from it’s winter slumber at the same time of the year as Easter.  Living in England Easter reminds me everyday of the ‘resurrection of creation’. Everywhere I look the world is being re-born and I pray that each of us will be born again at the empty tomb tomorrow.

But for now, on this day of waiting for the buds of our pilgrimage to burst into flower, spend the time looking back and saying thank you.  Thank you to the people who have guided us on the way.  Thank you to our Skin Horses and Nursery Nanas.  Thank you to those who made us real and the fairies in our gardens.  Thank you to the wild rabbits who have challenged us on the way and those who are now our playfellows.

Perhaps we may make a list of those who have helped to transform your life. And use it for a special list of Thanksgivings to be made for the forty days of Easter?

But most of all today say ‘thank you’ to our loving gracious God who, despite all that we have done to make the journey difficult, loves us everyday and continually breathes new life into us and calls us to join in the dance.

 

To Pray:

Through the resurrection of Jesus
God has redeemed us and made us his children.
May God bless us with joy.
Amen.

Our Redeemer has given us lasting freedom.
May we inherit everlasting life.
Amen.

By faith, we rose with Jesus in baptism.
May our lives be holy,
so that we will be united with Jesus for ever.
Amen.

May almighty God bless us,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

 

 

Some Final Words……

To everyone who has journeyed with me this Lent through this little story of The Velveteen Rabbit may I say ‘thank you’.  It has been a specially enriching time for me. It has also been very precious to have received comments form those whom these words have helped.

I hope that each person reading this finds much joy this Easter time and will be able to rejoice every day in the love of the One who makes us ‘real’

…. and some final words from my beloved Amy Grant to help with the journey ahead.

 

So Glad – Amy Grant

I had laid some mighty plans,
Thought I held them in my hands.
Then my world began to crumble all away.
I tried to build it back again;
I couldn’t bear to see it end,
How it hurt to know You wanted it that way.

And I’m so glad,
Glad to find the reason,
That I’m happy-sad
That You’ve torn it all away,
And I’m so glad,
Though it hurts to know I’m leaving
Everything I ever thought that I would be.
Once I held it in my hand.
It was a kingdom made of sand.
But now You’ve blown it all away.
I can’t believe that I can say,
That I’m glad.

Long before my plans were made,
I know a master plan was laid,
With a power that superseded my control.
And if that truth could pierce my heart,
I wouldn’t wander from the start,
Trying desperately to make it on my own.

And I’m so glad… 

© Andrew Dotchin – 2018