Good Friday
Good Friday--the most terrible, tragic day in history...and yet, for us, also the most wondrous, destiny-altering day of all days. The Son of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Good Shepherd was illegally tried, humiliated, beaten savagely, stripped of clothing, and finally nailed to a cross until He--the One who gave us breathe--breathed His last. How could that day possibly be called "good?"
Yet, for us, lost and hopeless sinners that we all are, "good" is far--infinitely far--to weak a word to describe it. For us, this shameful, sorrowful day brought us salvation. The word "good" doesn't even come close. For us, this could also be called "Eternally, Wondrously, Gloriously Good Friday." That means that even through our tears of deep mourning, we also rejoice with overwhelming gratitude.
As the hymn puts it, "Man of sorrows, what a name, for the Son of God who came. Ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah! What a Savior." Ruined sinners--that's you, that's me. Every lash of the whip, every cruel taunting word, every pounding of the nail was not only from you and me but also for you and me.
We are the hateful crowds screaming "Crucify Him!" We are the soldiers spitting in His face. We are Peter denying Him. We are even Judas betraying Him--because that's fundamentally just like our sinful, selfish, prideful hearts. I know it surely is mine.
But we are also the ones who should be bearing that scourging that rips flesh down to our spine. We are the ones who deserve that mocking and humiliation. We are the ones whose hands and feet should be ripped apart by the spikes and hammer blows.
And yet, "In my place condemned He stood. Now His nearness is my good. Hallelujah! What a Savior." Jesus bore the shame, the sin, the suffering for you and for me. Oh please don't let this Good Friday slip by without recognizing and acknowledging the agonizing, immeasurably high and terrible cost that was paid for your sin and mine.
Because when we truly see the price--His price, His precious life--that was paid for our sin, we cannot help but want to repent deeply, and even more, to thank, praise, and worship extravagantly. Forgive me, Father, and thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus.
"Who is a God like You, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold on to His anger forever [Jesus bore that righteous wrath on our behalf], because He delights in faithful love. He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:18-19)
Hallelujah, praise to the One
Whose blood has pardoned me
Oh what a Savior, Redeemer and King
Your love has rescued me.
On this terrible, horrible, wondrous, glorious Good Friday, might we both weep and yet also worship the One who gave His all for us. Might we consider the awful cost of our sins and yet also contemplate the wonder of a Savior who bore those sins. Might we remember the unbreakable chains of our sin...and remember that, because of Jesus, those chains are gone.
Lord Jesus, words fail me, but thank You, thank You, thank You for bearing my sin and shame. On this most terrible of days, I confess and repent of my hideous sin that cost You an unfathomable amount of suffering and death. How can I ever praise You enough for taking the punishment I deserved and for the wonder of the truth that by Your stripes I am healed? I simply and humbly beg that, by Your grace and for Your glory, You would enable me to live a life worthy of Your great and glorious name.
Yes, Jesus, Hallelujah! What a Savior You are! To God be the glory.
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