Not to worry, it was a false alarm. I was driving home from a great morning of ministry in some pretty nasty weather, surrounded by a disproportionate number of people who I’m pretty sure got their drivers licenses as the toy surprise in a box of Cracker Jacks, but I digress. The muscles in my ribs and back went into severe spasm (more paint than I have had in years). Having had a mild heart attack in the past, quite frankly, all this pain in my chest region, provoked me to some anxiety and I decided it was best to get checked out. The upside of all this is, I am doing well, praise God.
Of course, hospitals do not take this stuff lightly, so I was in the ER for a couple hours while they made sure everything was working as it should. The hospital I went to was a Catholic Hospital, so on the wall directly in my line of site was crucifix, Christ on the Cross. Now I know, there are people who struggle with this. I once had people demand they remove a painting I did of Christ on the cross from a church wall because, they pointed out, Christ is no longer on the cross and the tomb is empty. I get that, but here’s the thing. When you’re in pain, there is something very healing about seeing the act that opened heaven to all who would believe. There is a certain degree of perspective to be found in seeing Jesus on the cross. I know He’s not on the cross anymore, but I am pretty grateful that He was…
Sometimes I wonder if the image of the empty cross is too sanitized. Maybe we need to remember the price that was paid. so we don’t take our sin too lightly. Maybe we need to remember we don’t suffer alone. Maybe we need to remember He knows our pain.
Thank you for the Cross, Jesus. And thank you for being with me, even when the pain and the doubts come.
AMOKArts 