GOOD FRIDAY

"It's Friday, but Sunday's a'comin!" (Tony Campolo) 

Thinking today..... the cross.... what it meant... what it did..... who it killed....  Life coming from death.  Such a mystery.... yet in a poetic way, simplicity.... perfect sense.  

But can we really comprehend what it cost Jesus.... how he felt, physically..... the emotional anguish.  Think about when we KNOW that after a rough, turbulent storm.... the sun will shine again.   Yet, IN THE STORM.... we get scared.  We get exhausted..... worn out... emotionally, physically, mentally.... drained.  Jesus knew what was coming after the cross...... He knew that Friday was gonna be painful, dark and bleak and torturous.... BUT He also knew Sunday was a'comin.... the Resurrection.... the "in your face" to the enemy of our souls.   The victory.  The triumph. 

But don't think for a minute, that just because He knew He was going to rise again.... don't think He did not feel that pain!  He felt every lash of the whip.... every ripping of His flesh..... every thorn in His majestic brow..... blood dripping in His eyes..... every hammering of nails in His body...... He felt His lungs collapsing under the weight..... the pain in His back and shoulders from the gravity pulling Him down..... He felt the bone-dry thirst in His mouth...... And not just the physical.... but the emotional.... He was God.... but He WAS MAN.... He WAS HUMAN.   Those He loved with such passion and devotion.... rejected Him.... walked away from Him.... spit on Him.   Think about how we feel when those we love, walk away..... we love them anyway.... but the GRIEF, the pain.  How could they do that?  After all I've done.  After all the love I've shown them..... why?...... how?......

Jesus felt all the emotions you can imagine as a human being who was physically tortured and rejected by the loves of His life.

And He did that for you.  He did that for me.  He did that so that we didn't have to.  Huh?  It's a mystery.  But His love is so beautifully simple.

It's a GOOD Friday..... because SUNDAY is a'comin.  The triumph!  Be loved today.  :-)