Darkness was over the land. The sun had stopped shining. The earth shook, the rocks split, the Son of God had just gone through the worst form of death there was... and yet we call this day, "good".
Why good?
The agony was so great, Jesus Himself cried out to God, "why have You forsaken me?"
Women watching "mourned" and "wailed" for Him, even the people who were against Him "beat their breasts" when He gave up His spirit.
I believe it's safe to say that Good Friday was the worst possible Friday in the history of the earth...
Until Sunday.
He Who was without sin bore our sins on that Friday, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.
By His wounds, we are healed.
God loved us so much that He'd rather die than be apart from us for all eternity.
Before our Savior came for us, we were cut off from the promise. Unless you were a Jew, you were not God's people. I'm a Gentile, you're a Gentile (unless you're Jewish), anyone who is not a Jew is a Gentile, and we were not God's chosen people. We are not God's chosen people. We are not Israel.
But God loves us too much to let us spend eternity away from Him, He wants us. We're not His chosen people, but He wants us. So, He sent His only Son to die for us, that by Him, we may become children of God.
"I will call them 'My people' who are not My people, and I will call her 'My loved one' who is not My loved one" -Romans 9:25
Good Friday is good because on that day, the curtain was torn. That whoever desires to draw near to God would now be able to.
"It is finished."
We are no longer slaves to our sin or the law. No, that is not an excuse to do whatever we want, it's a reason to praise God with everything we do in our lives.
Good Friday is good because now, we are free. And now, we are never alone, and if we walk with God, we never have to fear being alone ever again.
Because the curtain is torn.
Anyone can enter into the presence of God now, just as we are.
And Good Friday is good because death could not hold our King.
He died for us to give us life, and to give us hope...
Sunday came.
He rose to conquer death once and for all.
Once and for ALL.
Jews and Gentiles.
Now, we have the hope that there is more than this life. We have the hope of Heaven because of this weekend.
Because Sunday is coming, today is a truly Good Friday indeed.
P.S. If you would like to take a moment to listen to Nothing But the Blood to help remember His sacrifice, I have linked to two great versions of the hymn below.
For a slower version, you can listen to Natalie Grant's rendition here
For a more upbeat, but more traditional, version, you can listen to Casting Crowns' rendition here
God bless, and have a wonderful Easter weekend!
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