Letdown

Have you ever had something really big, not exciting big, just big happen? Have you ever had a few days of letdown after? It's not a letdown in a sad way, just letdown. I guess I'm at a loss for a better word.

Our close friend was murdered January 1, 2006. The sentencing hearing for the man who killed him was yesterday morning. It took over two years to come to an end.

Two. Years.

Two years of having to hear that the trial was being pushed back for this reason or that. Two years of hearing that the plea bargain was still on the table but the man would not admit his guilt.

Now, it's over. Maybe I'm just really tired. Maybe it's just the finality of it all. Knowing that there won't be another hearing where I'll have to sit mere feet from the man who took our friend's life.

It is finished.

Those words came to me as I was driving to meet the others for lunch after the hearing. It is finished. Maybe because Easter was just last week, these are the words that came.

I know that this whole ordeal is in no way remotely close to what Christ did on the cross, but for Him, His work on Earth was finished. He was going to be reunited with his Father.

For me, knowing that our friend is in the presence of that same Father, and the work for his earthly justice is finished just seemed to fit.