And God saw that it was good

Have you ever wondered why it's called "Good Friday"?

I've heard a few interpretations, and besides the obvious (which is my dear sister's fav new word), I wanted to give my humble two cents.

According to God's divine and sovereign plan and redemptive purpose, we see how Christ's death on the cross was "good" from the very beginning.

Jesus, God's only son, had to die because of human sin (Adam and Eve flashback), but it wasn't "automatic" in the sense that He chose to (John 10:18). Jesus did it in out of complete obedience to God, as a true model and demonstration of what love does and looks like, and nothing we experience is beyond what Jesus suffered...that we too can choose to be selfless after being unfairly mistreated, betrayed, and forsaken...for love's sake.

Isaiah 53:3-6
"He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Christ's atoning work was the ONLY solution to God's wrath being satisfied, that we would not have to die, according to the just and deserved penalty for our sins (Rom. 6:23). Isn't that "good" news for us? Isn't that the BEST news ever?!

And I don't know about you, I feel really good when I remember, and truly believe that Jesus has gone through it all, and MUCH more...
-that I'm not alone when I feel grief
-that I'm not alone when there's injustice in the world
-that I'm not alone when I face extremely difficult circumstances
-that wrongs committed against me are often first wrongs against God

Scripture doesn't tell us exactly what God's point of view was at the moment that Christ cried out and breathed his last. But I'm fairly certain it was very painful though...imagine what you feel like when you watch someone you love suffer, especially as He bore ALL of our sins.

But you know what? I'm learning that HURT does not always equal HARM. God allows some suffering for a reason:

when we think of how God disciplines us for our benefit...
when we think how a husband should feel jealous when his wife is unfaithful...
when we choose chemo which makes us feel horrible, so that we can kill the cancer and save lives...
when we feel sadness because we have to say goodbye to dear friends and family when they leave us for someplace better, someplace God has sent them.

...and ultimately, of course, when Jesus Christ was brutally beaten, humiliated and tortured, crucified to the cross...so that He could fulfill messianic prophesies and follow through with God's greater plan - He saw past the pain and the hurt, and loved us harder, deeper, still:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Rom. 8:35,37,38

It is my sincere prayer that you be encouraged as I am when I reflect on that love....how Jesus' love is so GOOD.

I don't know where you're at this Good Friday. But I pray that God will renew that belief in his "goodness", that He'll bring joy and peace to your heart, knowing that at least one person knows where you are, sees you, and loves you so much that He died in your place...PAID IN FULL...so that you could spend eternity with your heavenly Father, your Creator and Lord.

If you're not right, please please get right today. He alone deserves our allegiance, service, and praise. Let's love Jesus back and celebrate His redeeming work on the cross with our lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God!

Have a GOOD FRIDAY!

Grace and peace to you.