Well, here we are, that time in this season, Good Friday. The day honoring Jesus' death on the cross. From the garden to the hill, from Gethsemane to Golgatha. His journey from Palm Sunday, riding in on a donkey's colt, while the crowds took up branches shouting, "Hosanna, hosanna in the highest!" Donkeys have a pattern like a cross running down the backs of their bodies- what a reminder. He wept nearing Jerusalem, knowing what was going to happen. "Hosanna" in the original Greek is "save us"- the crowd waving branches and shouting "Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!" would be the same crowd, merely three days later, to shout, "Crucify him!" Their shouts drowned out the voice of Pilate, asking what charges were against Jesus- "King of the Jews," the sign nailed above His thorn-driven head. They let a criminal, Barabbas, go free, and Jesus said to the thief on the cross beside Him, "Truly, I say to you, you will be with me today in paradise." The four soldiers gambled for his garments, and the crowd mocked and spat upon their Savior, His beatings so great he was unrecognizable. From noon to three, all the land was dark. By three, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Oh, behold, the fading light as Jesus, the perfect Lamb, died innocent, willingly for our own sins! The cross He bore on His back, the climb up the hill He'd made, the place of His final breath- that had to be the longest walk of His life. To tear the mighty temple veil in two for us, in all our ignorance, that we wouldn't have to suffer being separated from Him for all eternity. So all creation would know... It is finished.
So guys, in spite of this being a tad late again, tonight I just came back (8:30 PM est) from a Good Friday service up at the church tonight. I tell you what, it was not your typical, more light-hearted, feel-good worship service. It hit the whole room so, so deep- He loved us. How He loved us. Near the beginning, at the end of the first song, the final verse was something like this: "Let us not forget the sweet fragrance, the oil poured out as You gave it all." In that moment, I breathed in, then out, and oh man. What lingered in my nose transitioning to the next scripture passage is something I'll remember for a long time. There were six candles set up on the table where the crucifixion passage was being read from the Bible: between each scripture moving into a song, one of the candles were blown out. At the end, when the final song had finished, and all the candles were out, I lifted my head and saw the words projected in the middle of the screen, "IT IS FINISHED." I just started sobbing. I don't deserve to be here, yet Jesus loved me anyway. Dear ones, how precious is your soul for Satan to pursue it, and Jesus to die for it! I don't know who needs to hear this, but I can say right now, it doesn't matter who you are or where you've been. It doesn't matter what giants, what struggles you're facing. It doesn't matter what you've done in the dark. Things you'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone. Things you've done you think make you unforgivable. Things in your life so bad it feels like no one can save you from them. Believe me, if you were the only one on the planet, Jesus still would've done it. Hell and back again- that's how far He went. He didn't whisper "I love you" from Heaven- He shouted it from on the cross. And He would've done it all again. He wants to redeem you- if you're still alive, you still have that second chance. You just have to take it- because of Jesus' death on the cross, there is forgiveness for you. His mercy and grace flowed freely from His side- I pray His mercy and grace covers you this Easter season. And there's one thing I just can't say enough. Oh, how He loves you. Have a Good Friday, guys. Hallelujah, it is finished. And His death is not the end. <3
