“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
It’s Good Friday. At my church, the altar is draped in a black cloth and topped with a simple circle of thorns. We enter solemnly and quietly sit in meditation, remembering what took place on this day centuries ago. The candles are extinguished one by one after each Scripture reading. The sanctuary slowly grows dim until total darkness descends. As we leave in silence, our hearts feel the weight of our sin, sin that our Lord chose to pay for on that cruel cross. Where do we find the “good” in Good Friday?
In Hebrews 12:2 we read the answer to that question. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross.” It was because of the joy: the joy of bringing salvation to the world and reconciling us to the Father. To accomplish that, our Lord was willing to suffer unimaginable pain, separation from His Father, and a torturous death. Our human minds cannot grasp the depth of that kind of love.
But praise God we are washed clean in it! We see that truly He is good.
In Hebrews 12:2 we read the answer to that question. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross.” It was because of the joy: the joy of bringing salvation to the world and reconciling us to the Father. To accomplish that, our Lord was willing to suffer unimaginable pain, separation from His Father, and a torturous death. Our human minds cannot grasp the depth of that kind of love.
But praise God we are washed clean in it! We see that truly He is good.
Scripture Focus
Mark 15:21-41
Insight
“Such love, such wondrous love,/ that God should love a sinner such as I,/ How wonderful is love like this.” (Ben Waites, 2020)
Bible In A Year
- Deuteronomy 25-27
- Psalm 92
- Acts 16
