GOOD Friday!

This week is often referred to by Christian churches as Holy Week. It starts with Palm Sunday that commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and moves on to Holy Thursday, celebrating Jesus last meal with his disciples and his prayer and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Good Friday is the time to remember the punishment and crucifixion of Jesus. Holy Saturday considers the time He spent in the tomb. And this Holy Week culminates with the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. People from everywhere who neither generally attend church nor know much about Jesus are familiar with the events of this week.

Today is the celebration of Good Friday. I have heard it asked, “How can all be horrible events of that day be described as good?” On the surface that question may seem plausible. But as we look deeper into the events of that day, we will see that the word “good” not only fits but may actually be an understatement.

When did the miracle of salvation actually occur? From the cross, after enduring rejection, humiliation and great physical pain, Jesus spoke the words, “It is finished.” The entire verse goes on to say “… He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:13 AMP)  In that moment, at the pinnacle of pain and the hearts of His followers, the work of Jesus on earth was completed. When everything looked blackest and most hopeless, the law was being fulfilled and salvation was being made available to all who would receive it from the Father.

When do the miracles truly happen in our own lives? Is it when the breakthrough shows up and all the circumstances work out? Or does the real miracle occur as we settle in our hearts to give God all He is asking of us and trust Him with our future? We perform that act of obedience that may seem crazy at the moment and trust God with the outcome. Things may look darkest at that time. No light of the coming answer may be anywhere in sight. The time of waiting may still be to come. But the real miracle has already occurred.

There is an account in the Old Testament when Angel arrives in response to Daniel’s prayer for understanding. The messenger arrived with these words.  ^“Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.  But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.” (Daniel 10:12–13 NLT)  The answer and the miracle were sent on that very first day. Yet the evidence did not appear for three entire weeks. Has our answer already been sent?

Please don’t get me wrong. Good Friday and the death of Jesus would not have been complete without the resurrection that we celebrate on Easter Sunday. The power of God was present and released Jesus from the grave at just the right moment. Nothing could stop that power or the effect that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has had on mankind.

In our lives, the power of God always accompanies the answer to our prayers. There may be a waiting time similar to the time Jesus lay, seemingly lifeless, in the tomb. Our waiting period may seem silent, but there is no reason for it to be somber. Just as we are not totally sure what the spirit of Jesus Christ did during the hours His body lay in the tomb, we are never aware of exactly what God is doing during this time in our lives. At just the right moment, God will send a breakthrough and the earthly evidence of our miracle will burst forth with that unstoppable power of Almighty God.

Many years ago, a songwriter Carmen wrote a story/song entitled, ‘Sunday's On the Way.’ It is still one of my favorite songs to pull out this time of year. When you are having a rough time and don’t see any evidence of the answers to your prayer. Think of the final lines of this song, “When problems try to bury you, and make it hard to pray, It may seem like Friday night, but Sunday's on the way!”