Lost in Good Friday Thoughts

Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’” Ezekiel 8:12

For some unknown reason, as my dad (may his memory be a blessing) used to say, “I just had a hankering” to study Ezekiel. So here I am being led in a study of a crazy book, landed on this verse and then stayed there for a while. I read it the day before Good Friday. As if the message of Good Friday isn’t enough, I added to it.

Good Friday always has and will continue to stop me in my tracks. Especially when I attend a service like Heartland Church offers. It’s thoughtful, moving, and emotional. At least for me. Every year. I’m not a self-flagellating person. I don’t get depressed outside of a day or two here or there. But Good Friday? It truly becomes a day of atonement for me. Or should I say, days? My mind and thoughts run rampant. 

Such as Ezekiel. The thoughts we have in the dark. I've got my outward sin fairly under control. At least I tell myself I do. But it’s in my thoughts where on-going sin truly lies. Thoughts of judgement, criticism, rude opinions, etc. It’s in the dark where I think I’m safe but yet God is there. He hasn’t left. He’s fully aware of how my mind works and how often it works.

Then I sit in the Good Friday service and am reminded of what Jesus did for our sins. “Our.” As I sat this time thinking, I realized that “our” is a collective term. It’s horrible that Jesus went to the cross because of “our” sins, but then I began thinking of it in a more personal way. Jesus went to the cross because of MY sin. That carries a much heavier weight. MY hurtful words. MY harmful actions. MY dark thoughts. MY sin put him on that cross.

Then I started thinking about Jesus, God coming to earth as a human. Scripture describes that on occasion Jesus looked up to heaven and talked with his father. I always assumed he was praying, but what if he was describing what he was experiencing. Similar to “Undercover Boss.” Although I’ve only watched a few episodes, the theme is the same. The surprise that the boss experiences when he gets into the trenches with his employees. He realizes how difficult life and/or the job is. 

God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit spent the Old Testament watching their creation. Often times, if not continually, broken-hearted. And then they send Jesus to earth as one of us. Was it, for him, a similar experience to the boss show? When he spoke to his father, could he have possibly said, “I didn’t realize. I get it. This is hard. There is no other option. It’s non-negotiable. I’ve to go to the cross; I’ve got to die for their sins. Because this life here on earth is relentless. They need forgiveness and they need hope.”

Well, thank goodness for Easter morning. It got me out of my funk and it brought God’s forgiveness and His hope to the front of my mind and my heart. It’s like coming out of the flu. I can’t help but clean my whole house, move furniture around, and eat whatever I want. I’m alive again. Easter does that for me. As it should. MY sins are forgiven and my life is filled with promise, a future and hope. I've alive because my God deeply, deeply loves me.