The Gift of Good Friday

The Office’s Michael Scott once famously said that there’s such a thing as good grief, and it’s a funny line. But could there be some truth behind it?

 

Christians today celebrate “Good Friday” every year, but what does it really mean?

 

The date marks the day 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ willingly died on a gruesome Roman cross for our sins.

 

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

The truth is, Jesus died after suffering sustained torture. His followers were devastated. It looked as if His ministry would be as brief as any other holy man that had wandered onto the stage for a brief performance.

 

And then it happened.

 

Three days later, He came back from the dead! God the Father, as He had promised, raised Jesus to life. This was a clear message to any who would follow the Savior that there is blessed, eternal life after this one. In our sins, Jesus came to us because He loved us.

 

It’s as simple as that, really. What was originally raw grief became a very good day.

 

Let’s pray.

 

Lord, your Son’s gift to us is beyond words. We simply thank you and are grateful that He didn’t leave us where we were. Amen.