What's so good about Good Friday?

Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:3-5 

Happy Good Friday!!!  Who’s hiding Easter eggs this weekend?  I thought about it...but since my kids are “too old” for that, I’m not really sure if my memory is bad enough yet to forget where I put them and try to find them myself.  Oh well.

I admit though...I’m pretty excited about Easter.  It’s not about getting to go dress shopping (though I did find this awesome cobalt blue number on sale), it’s not about the Easter baskets overflowing with scrumptious chocolate candies or Easter egg hunts...no.  It’s about Jesus - the man who gave His life so I could get excited about all these things and so much more.

He gave His LIFE!!!  Not just a few weekends here and there.  Not a week in a remote village to help build a few houses.  His LIFE!!!

And He didn’t want to.  Nope.  The Bible tells us that He agonized over it, He knew the pain He was about to suffer through.  He even prayed that God would find another way.  Does that sound familiar?  We do it every time we are faced with difficulty. 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

He bore the weight of ALL sin...past, present and future.  How excruciating that must have been.

I used to struggle with the idea that we call the day Jesus was crucified GOOD Friday.  I mean...how is it good that we literally murdered Jesus?  By we I mean every one of us.  Think about it, had you and I been alive on that day, would we have tried to stop it?  Doubtful.  Even Peter denied Him three times.  Let’s face it...we did it. 

We conspired against Jesus.

We drug Jesus into that court.

We beat Jesus.

We called Him names.

We nailed Jesus to a cross.

We treated Him as though He was evil!

We killed Jesus.

He didn’t want to die like that..but He did.  God didn’t want Him to die like that...but He allowed it.  For us.  Jesus obediently walked those streets, felt the nails pierce His skin, and died on that cross...for us.

Looking at if from that perspective...how can we call this day good?  Really?  I can see Dark Friday.  Black Friday (I’d say this is more important and would trump the biggest shopping day of the year). Maybe Sin Friday or Execution Friday.  I think the German’s have a better grasp of the concept with Karfreitag, which means “Suffering Friday.” 

Such pain and despair.  But that’s how much God loves us.  That’s how much He loves YOU.  He sacrificed his own Son in our place, because everyone of us deserved to hang on that cross.  But now we have eternal life if we believe and claim Jesus as our Savior. 

THAT is why this is called Good Friday. 

He didn’t stop there, though.  Three days later...He walked away from the cold grip of death and left the tomb empty.  What a beautiful day.  Easter Day!!

So color those eggs, eat that chocolate and remember why today is such a good day!!

May God’s blessings fall on each of you this Easter.