Grace in the Mundane
Ordinary Life – Amazing God
Good Friday??
I have always wondered why it is called Good Friday. Because from where I see it, it was not a good day. Jesus had some bad days in his life. Lets start at the beginning, the day he was born, there were no rooms available and he was born in a stable. Not really a good day.
There were days when he started his ministry that were not exactly good. Days where he poured into the crowds all day, and yet they kept coming. Days where he was exhausted, hadn’t eaten, and probably would have liked to rest but he kept going. Not a good day.
There were days when his disciples frustrated him. Days when they had been with him for months. They had seen him do miracles, feed thousands, heal, and cast out demons. They had seen him stop the wind and waves in their tracks, yet they still didn’t understand who he really was. Not a good day.
So, yes Jesus had some bad days, but this particular Friday I would classify as his worst. He was betrayed by one of his own, he was deserted by all his disciples, and denied by one whom he was closest too. Yet, that was only the beginning. He was beaten, and spit on. He was flogged, he was made fun of, he was ridiculed. He had his beard plucked out, and a crown of thorns stuck into his head. He was cruicified which was a death of humilation. Far from a good day.
I will never understand why it is referred to as Good Friday. Ash Wednesday I understand, Palm Sunday has a reason, but good Friday makes no sense to me. To his followers it was one of the darkest days in history.
The Oxford English Dictionary states that “good” in this context refers to, “a day or season observed as holy by the church.” Holy Friday I can understand. Because to those of us who know the full story, who know how it ends. Those who know that three days later Jesus will rise and conquer sin and death, know that Friday is a very Holy day. Because without that Holy Friday, Easter doesn’t happen. Without that Holy Friday, our Savior doesn’t die to raise again.
So, today as I hear the words, Good Friday, I am going to mentally think Holy Friday, and be thankful for a Holy Savior who made something good out of it.
Grace in the Mundane 