Good Friday
A lot of people don’t know why today is called “Good Friday.” After all, a man died a horrible, gruesome death. What’s so good about that?
“Good” doesn’t seem adequate to describe the magnitude of the act demonstrated on the cross. One God/man took on the entire pandemic of sin, from Adam until the end of time, upon his shoulders. He accepted the penalty of death in the most humiliating and painful way possible. Such powerful act should be described as “great,” “wonderful,” or “awesome,” not merely “good.”
Jesus’ act was good, though, in a purely moral sense. He took the punishment we deserved upon Himself. He laid down His life so we might have eternal life.
It’s hard to think about the suffering He had to endure for me to be saved from my sins. I wasn’t even able to watch “The Passion” for two years after it was released, because it was hard to conceive that level of commitment under those circumstances. The song, “Feel the Nails” by Ray Boltz haunts me especially this time of year:
Does He still feel the nails
Every time I fail?
Does He hear the crowd cry
“Crucify” again?
Am I causing Him pain?
Then I know I’ve got to change.
I just can’t bear the thought
Of hurting Him.
Oh, Easter’s coming. There will be time for celebrations, cantatas, brunches, and Easter egg hunts. But for today, I want to just give some quiet thanks for the sacrifice Christ made, to reconcile me to my God, and allow for a full and abundant life, forever and ever, amen.
Thanks Jesus.
“Good” doesn’t seem adequate to describe the magnitude of the act demonstrated on the cross. One God/man took on the entire pandemic of sin, from Adam until the end of time, upon his shoulders. He accepted the penalty of death in the most humiliating and painful way possible. Such powerful act should be described as “great,” “wonderful,” or “awesome,” not merely “good.”
Jesus’ act was good, though, in a purely moral sense. He took the punishment we deserved upon Himself. He laid down His life so we might have eternal life.
It’s hard to think about the suffering He had to endure for me to be saved from my sins. I wasn’t even able to watch “The Passion” for two years after it was released, because it was hard to conceive that level of commitment under those circumstances. The song, “Feel the Nails” by Ray Boltz haunts me especially this time of year:
Does He still feel the nails
Every time I fail?
Does He hear the crowd cry
“Crucify” again?
Am I causing Him pain?
Then I know I’ve got to change.
I just can’t bear the thought
Of hurting Him.
Oh, Easter’s coming. There will be time for celebrations, cantatas, brunches, and Easter egg hunts. But for today, I want to just give some quiet thanks for the sacrifice Christ made, to reconcile me to my God, and allow for a full and abundant life, forever and ever, amen.
Thanks Jesus.
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