What Good Friday Means to Me

Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Whether or not you believe it occurred on a Friday or a Thursday is not important. What is important is that we remember the event that is commemorated on that day.

I like what my pastor has called it...God's Friday. In the time of Jesus the day began at sunset on Thursday and continued until sunset on Friday.

And for me...that's when Good Friday begins...the evening before...

When Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with the twelve apostles...then He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray...then He endured the arrest & the beatings...then He hung on the cross for six hours before His death.

If we didn't need a Savior there would have been no need for a sacrifice. His battle for us began in the Garden. It was in the Garden that He travailed in prayer and sweat great drops of blood. He asked the Father to take this cup from Him...and then He submitted His human will to the Father's will. I believe He prayed to the Father for strength to go through with the Divine Plan.

His human nature had to willingly submit to His divine calling for that plan to work. At any point He could have said, "No"... He had the free will choice.

...And He chose to accept the challenge, the suffering, and death on the cross. It was not an easy task...He did it in His humanity. WHY???

Because He loves us...you and me. When I look at the cross I see a symbol of overwhelming love.

...I don't understand it...I could never do anything to deserve it...but I fully embrace and accept it.

SUCH AMAZING LOVE !!!

Even before I knew Him...He thought of me! Jesus knew that if He did not pay the price for our sins that we would be forever separated from the Father. He also knew how much He wanted us to be with Him...forever!

So He paid the price...

WHAT KEPT HIM ON THE CROSS ??

His love for us...and because He could see our future.
Jesus could see past my sin to the day when I would accept His sacrifice as my own. He saw me in my sin and He saw me alone in my bedroom one night in March of 1980. I was reading in the gospels and my heart was breaking as I read about how much Jesus suffered for me. He was innocent...I was the guilty one...and I knew it.

My mind was a whirl of conflicting thoughts... It's not fair that Jesus had to suffer and die...He was INNOCENT! ...Why couldn't I pay the price for my own sins? ...I didn't understand about sacrificial lambs.

I told God that I didn't think it was fair that Jesus should have to suffer and die for my sins...but if that's the way He wanted it...I would accept it.

I asked God to forgive me then and there, and I asked Jesus to be my Savior. As I reached out towards Him, I felt a distinct touch in return...on the tips of my fingers...and an immediate lifting of my burden.

My life had changed forever!

My life didn't suddenly become care free. I still had many problems...but now I knew the Problem Solver and I knew He would help me. God has been faithful to me ever since. He has helped me to learn and grow in my relationship with Him.

It has been the journey of a life time!

I invite you to join me on this great adventure with Jesus!