I’ve always struggled some with the darkness of Good Friday. I mean, it’s a super important day in remembering the death of Christ for our sins. Without the cross there would be no resurrection, and as Paul says, if the resurrection is not true we should be pitied.
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
—1 Corinthians 15:16-19
My problem with Good Friday isn’t the significance of what we celebrate, but it’s a dark day. Christ had to suffer God’s wrath on the cross. He bore our iniquities. It’s a brutal day. The movie The Passion of Christ, somewhat captures the brutality that Christ endured. If it weren’t for the resurrection maybe Good Friday would be the worst day in history. It surely is the worst as far as man’s sin sinking to its lowest in crucifying the son of God.
The best thing about Good Friday is knowing that Sunday is coming. The resurrection is coming! We can celebrate again that He is Risen! The darkness turns to light. Christ is the light of the world!
Good Friday is a somber day. It reminds us that Christ called upon us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is sacrifice in the Christian life. If I’m honest, this too is probably part of the reason I struggle. I don’t like to be reminded of the sacrifice. We live in a self-indulgent culture.
My prayer as I enter Good Friday: “O, Lord, thank you for the sacrifice you made. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Work in my heart, and wean me from my unwillingness to follow you in this way. Thank you for dying that I might have life. Praise you for your grace, and your tender mercies.”
I pray the Lord deepens your walk with Him on this Good Friday, and that you have a wonderful Easter. There is power in the blood of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! Amen!
In His Grip, Dave
P.S. I will write about our intern Emily Gryder after Easter. I thought I should reflect on the importance of what we celebrate this week in this post.
P.S.S. Just sent out our April E Newsletter, if you haven’t had a chance to read it check it out here…
DiasoLifeontheBorder.org
27 Comments
By terry1954
you know?? i never looked at it from that point of view, but i m glad you pointed it out. i kind of overlooked good Friday, more excited about Easter and what it signifies, but good Friday is a day of prayer and thanksgiving for me now that i have read your post. thank u so much!
By diasolifeontheborder
Well, I’m glad my struggles could give you a different perspective. Hope you have a great Easter celebration!
By Terrie van Baarsel
I know what you mean about Good Friday.
However, if we fail to consider what our sins cost Jesus, it may lessen our understanding of the gravity of our sins. It’s a good day to spend a little bit of time to think about that.
Looking forward, the darkness of Good Friday makes the light of the Resurrection all the brighter!
Have a blessed Easter!
By diasolifeontheborder
Yes – I agree. Not always an enjoyable experience, but it is a good an even necessary time to reflect.
Hope you have a great Easter celebration!
By Alex
Reblogged this on Saved by Grace and commented:
This is a great post and a great thing to think about as Easter draws ever nearer.
By Sara's Musings at WordPress.com
Reblogged this on Sara's Musings and commented:
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This reblogged post from Our Life On The Border should give us pause for reflection on this Good Friday. ~Sara’s Musings @ WordPress.com
By Naphtali
I too cannot handle even thinking about how much Jesus suffered. Great post.
By diasolifeontheborder
Thank you – I hope you enjoy the Easter celebration!
By audrakrell
Yes, it’s a hard, dark day. But Sunday is coming!
I recognized your picture right away, Garden of the Gods. Grew up in Manitou. Grateful for your family answering God’s call, every blessing as you pursue His purposes for your life.
By diasolifeontheborder
Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Yes, you are right, that is Garden of the Gods in the background of our picture.
Hope you have a blessed Easter celebration!
By dangerouschristian
We all struggle with Good Friday because it reminds us of the courageous act of love that Jesus did for us. Yes, we want to “pass GO” and get to Easter; however today was necessary so we can have an Easter to celebrate.
Thanks for your “like” on my post today! Have a blessed Easter! Peace.
By diasolifeontheborder
yes, that’s true. I hope you have a wonderful Easter celebration!
By curiouscatlady
Totally agree, it also makes me very sad. But overall, I can’t help rejoice! Check out my recent post on why i think it should be called ‘Fantastic Friday’!
By diasolifeontheborder
Thanks and I will check out your post. Have a wonderful Easter celebration!
By The Rev. Deirdre Whitfield
Hello, I’m not sure how you found me but I am glad you did. Your thoughts on Good Friday are some that I have struggled with myself. Praise God for the Resurrection! A few years back I was in San Diego. While there we visited Tijuana. I hope to return. Perhaps if you are still there I will get a chance to experience your ministry. I enjoyed reading some of your posts. God Bless. Your ministry will be in my prayers.
By diasolifeontheborder
thank you for your encouragement. I hope that you are able to enjoy the celebration of Easter! It’s a great day. A day that we remember our hope, and the power of the resurrection!
By carolcrouch
In a devotion, I have written a little about Jesus’ sufferings. I agree it is hard to think about. It puts my own pain in perspective.
By diasolifeontheborder
Yes – we do need reminders of what Christ has done for us, even though it’s not pleasant.
By cindyhfrench
I just checked your blog out as you liked my post tonight. what ya’ll are doing there is so real and brave-being Jesus’ hands and feet. I too had a very special post for Good Friday and some of the insights that God gave me about what Christ Jesus went through for our sakes. You might check it out. It’s called Happy Coming Easter.
By diasolifeontheborder
Ok – thanks for letting me know, and thanks for the encouragement.
By cindyhfrench
Knowing who you are and where you are and what your needs are, allow me to pray for you very specifically as I have learned that Our Father likes to answer specifically-vs generally. I am sure you have your hands full-with raising kids and having a ministry. I wish now, that parts of my life had sought ministry work before I couldn’t do it…But He has taught me to pray, and pray I shall.
Please feel very free to let me know of anything specific that isn’t in the blog, but you still need prayer for.
I know it is hard, sometimes, to ask for help or for prayer-but the Christian bloggers out there all over the world are so very encouraging and uplifting…wow heaven is going to be such a neat place where I won’t have any time limits on anything like I do now with how much I can read, respond to, take in, act on-all the while working a recruiter job 8-10 hours a day. And that doesn’t count at all towards the time for Bible study and prayer! Really, a person doesn’t have time to sleep!
By diasolifeontheborder
Thank you – that’s a wonderful and kind offer.
By Cara Olsen
Thank you for this, Dave. Though Easter has long since passed, I am reminded that it is not only on Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas that I “celebrate” Jesus’ triumph over death and my consequent freedom from sin, but every single day. The world in which live offers many directions and modes of complaint; I find the littlest things can irk me, pull me off-balance if my heart is not centered on Christ. In order to re-focus my thoughts, I have an alarm set to go off every day at 3:16. I may be stuck with my humanity for now, but I am not powerless to to let His Light shine upon me. 🙂
Blessings,
Cara
By diasolifeontheborder
Yes – good point, by remembering and celebrating Good Friday, Easter and Christmas we are in a sense also preaching the gospel to ourselves. We do need to be continually reminded of what Christ has done for us on the cross and through His resurrection and the significance those events carry for us.
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