Pausing on Good Friday

Such a whirlwind… It’s been a crazy month. Hard to believe that it’s almost a month since we went to Israel. I did not even have time to complete my journals and upload all the pictures for the trip. And then there were the admin things associated with graduation, the Comprehensive Exam, school assignments, and of course work.

The days flew by. But the hours passed a too little slowly at times. I’ve been having this “health problem” for over a month now, and it’s forced me to slow down a lot, sleep earlier and do less. Will write more about this in due course, but it suffices to say that it reminds me that every breath and every step I take is all by God’s Good Grace.

And so today is Good Friday. It is the day when my Savior died the death that was mine. He expiated my sin and propitiated God. He is my penal substitution, paid the price with His blood to redeem me from my slavery to sin. He did that, not conditional upon my acceptance or my merit (what merit?!), but simply because He is Love and He loves me.

Good Friday is when humanity is confronted with our wickedness and ugliness. When we are hit on the face with our inability to save ourselves, at all. All the best work of our hands, or the best thoughts of our hearts; are but grass that withers, flowers that fade, and ashes that burn to dust. We need God, period.

But yet, Good Friday is also the day I need to cling on to – even in the brightest day of my life; that God is satisfied. It is the day that gives me hope that He is not going to turn away, that He won and will win at the end of the day, that He is in charge come what may. In the words of one of my favorite song these days (embedded below),

“Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That You can mend a heart that's frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
‘Cause I'm worn”

I know that redemption wins, and all the struggles of life will end. I know that a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life. I know that all that is dead inside and out can be reborn. Because I’m won – by His Love and His Life.

And Sweet Jesus, gave us more than Good Friday. He gave us Easter, for three days later, He rose again. He did. He won, and defeated our worst enemy death. He won, and crushed the heel of the Ancient Serpent. He won, and gave us new life. Hooray!

Sweet Jesus, help me cling on to you every day, because I need it. I need You. Let this not just be a day, but every day. I love You, thank You for coming, living, dying and resurrecting for me!