What's So Good About It?

It's the day after they crucified my Lord. A mix of emotions runs through my heart. Of course, I am terribly saddened by His death - grieved to the point where my heart aches terribly for His loss.  Saddened even more by the knowledge that it had to occur. Even more so knowing that it was MY sins that placed Him on that cross. Yet, even in His death I feel hope. And that is why my heart keeps beating. Hope.

While Jesus was still with us He told us that "unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." And he also gave us this promise . . .

"Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."

When I consider the promise He made I am not really interested in living forever. That is not even a thought in my head. I am not interested in streets of gold or any kind of "reward." What gives me the strength to carry on after all of the struggles I have been through in this live, is the hope of seeing Jesus face-to-face. That's what I long for. That is what fascinates me. That I might have the opportunity to thank Jesus personally . . . if I can even speak in the presence of my King.

The Friday before Easter is called "Good" Friday. For the life of me I cannot think of a single GOOD thing about it. Just that it HAD to happen. It had to happen so the resurrection could happen. Jesus died so that we might live. He died for our sins. He died to give us hope.

These days we Christians find ourselves being persecuted for our beliefs. Brothers and sisters are dying overseas rather than deny their faith. We here in America are having our rights taken away in favor of political correctness. We are seeing God removed from our schools and from our government whose principals and laws were based on His. It is a dark time. But nowhere near as dark as when Jesus died nearly 2,000 years ago.

Each Good Friday I come home from work and watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ and each time I watch it I am saddened by humanity's sinful nature. But each time I watch the movie I also see hope. In the centurion . . . at the foot of the cross.

  

 "54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” - Matthew 27:54

There is tremendous hope in that. "he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." - John 11:25

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