Today, which is good Friday, is a day to contemplate the historic event of Christ’s death. In accordance with this day, at least this year, is that good Friday falls on the first day of spring. Today, we celebrate not only the death of Christ, but also the end of Winter. The dark time of the year is over.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about graves or tombs I get a cold feeling. Winter also lends itself to a kind of similar feeling, perhaps not as poignant as a grave, but nonetheless a similar feeling; a time of darkness.
A lot of things happen in darkness. Every night before I go to sleep I turn on the porch light, because I want to ward off any would be intruders that might want to rob my home. Evil seems to find its greatest opportunity during the night or in the dark.
But a lot of good things happen in the dark too. In fact there is more good that happens in the dark then evil.
Nonetheless , one of the problems of this time of year is that we have to wade through all the superfluous refrains from those that react to the religious worlds celebration of good Friday. It’s the same ever year. You should know it by now. “What does Easter eggs and Easter bunnies have to do with Christ’s death?” Here we go again. These are the literalists that harp on the same old same old. Man, I’m tired of that bunk. Sorry! But who cares?
I am for kids looking for eggs and chocolate bunnies to be eaten. The more the better as far as I am concerned. Then there is the super legalists who say Christ didn’t die on Friday, because that meant He was only in the tomb 1 1/2 days. Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday, then he rose. Most probably He died on a Wednesday which means he rose three full days later. This would have been three days just as the Bible says. Again I say, not in disrespect to the Lord, who cares? The point is he died. Those that dot on the minutia miss the spiritual beauty of the metaphor.
He went into the dark. The dark of the tomb. Whether it was Wednesday or Friday Jesus went into the darkness.
Have you ever thought about the fact that God the Most High clothes Himself in darkness. Why? Because good things happen in darkness and these things He only shares with His elect, so to protect the secrets he clothes Himself in darkness. Ps.18:11
Have you ever pondered the mystery of sleep? Every night you take a journey into the dark. Sleep is ofter called the little death. Just for starters the process of sleep, not considering its metaphoric implications, is a time in our lives where our brain is restored, and repaired. We need to get away from the infusion and toxins of the world outside and go to sleep from it.
The carbon dioxide of life we imbibe during the day must be detoxed from us during sleep, or during a time of darkness. Good things happen in darkness.
Or how about what takes place during the winter to trees and plants. They go to sleep from the long cycle of spring, summer, and winter. During the time of darkness; winter, they are refreshed, replenished, refortified, and prepared to start a new cycle. What would they do if they did not go into the darkness of winter. Good things happen in darkness.
When Christ went into the dark of the tomb time, He was able to go to imprisoned spirits to preach redemption, so they could be reingenerated. Good things happen in darkness.
On a broader scale it could be said that Christ went into darkness to dispel our fear of the darkness. If the tomb meant the momentary passage to an infinite life we can endure the thought of physical death with great hope, because Christ died for us. Great things happen in darkness!
Life operates in cycles and often without our willful choice we are plunged into a dark time, but the darkness is good if we could only apply the tomb of Christ to the current situation.
There in that application of the meaning of the metaphor of the tomb we could transcend the bitterness of that winter feeling of our circumstance, and even looking farther down the road the impending fear of death.
Good Friday is not only good, good Friday is great Friday. Praise the Lord!
Ken-the Kingdom of Heaven is Within
