I’m sitting here thinking of all of the things that I need to do for the week end. My son is coming home from school and will be here for Easter. My mind is on my lists. I’m getting ready to go to the grocery store and get all of the things I need to make Easter dinner. I’m preparing my grocery list, when suddenly it hits me. Today is Good Friday.
I suddenly realized that I was letting this special morning go by without a thought for what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us. I am now reflecting on the meaning of this day. Our glorious Lord gave us the most precious gift of all, his life. Our lives wouldn’t have meaning if the next three days didn’t take place two thousand years ago.
I am sitting here in awe. Jesus was condemned, beaten beyond recognition, then walked in humiliation up to Golgotha. Jesus was so beaten and torn apart that Simon of Cyrene had to help Jesus carry his cross the rest of the way to his Crucifixion. The screaming, weeping and silence must have been heart wrenching.
Jesus is nailed to the cross. He dies, forgiving all of his accusers just before releasing his spirit. I can imagine the looks on all of the faces that believed Jesus could not die. Shock, unbelief, a feeling of betrayal, then ultimate fear. When Jesus breathed his last, the earth turned dark, the dead were raised and the curtain in the Temple was torn in two. Many people don’t realize that the curtain was two to four inches thick. No easy feat. I can imagine God being hurt and angry right then and there.
Jesus is taken to his tomb. Jesus was completely wrapped, placed inside of the tomb with a large boulder placed in front of the door. Roman guards were stationed outside. Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary mother of James came to the tomb three days later. The boulder was removed and the guards were gone. They ran inside of the tomb and it was empty. All three women started to cry: “Where have they taken our Lord?” They ran out of the tomb.
On the way home a man in white came up and talked with them. Mary Magdalene recognized the man and exclaimed that this is Jesus and he has risen from the dead. Jesus loves his children so much that he revealed himself before he went to see his Father. Jesus died so that we can go to the Father. Awe is overwhelming me as I write this.
We need to stop, breath and take time to reflect on what the next three days represent. God sent his son into a depraved world so that he could grow up specifically to die. Jesus felt everything we felt. He was God, but also man. Jesus went through all of that suffering and pain just for me. Just for you. Wow!
The next three days are monumental. We have a choice to make. We can treat it like any other day, or will we can stop and contemplate on what took place two thousand years ago. Take the time, be with Jesus. Let him surround you with his loving grace of forgiveness and let Jesus’ resurrection have meaning in your life. After all it is Good Friday.
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Beautiful and well said. You're turning into quite the writer!
ReplyDeleteLove Him and love you!