A Mere Reflection: 5 things to consider on Good Friday

It is Holy week. It is a sacred week in which I have little words to do it justice. When we are standing at the cross of Jesus and reflecting on the greatest sacrifice, it is hard to feel put together or self-righteous because I for one, am completely humbled and broken before our Holy God. I've made the mistake a few times of calling today Black Friday. Kind of funny and so wrong, I know. But after thinking about it, it fits doesn't it? It was the darkest day filled by the darkest hours that defines Good Friday.

Every year at this time God gives me a few fresh things to think on. He takes this story and makes it new for me in a different way. It doesn't matter that I have read it and heard it for the past 27 years, there is layer upon layer of His Holiness that will never be fully known to us this side of Heaven. The Word is alive! As Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures forever." This story is not new news to most of us, but would you pause with me to consider what He is asking me to process this year? My prayer is that you too may hear the gospel in a fresh ,new way.

 

1) Holy. A name, a word, a description of the one true God. How can it be that this Holy, perfect God with all power, the God who can change anything in an instance allows us to be a part of His story. I was thinking about the blood moon that happened this week. Here we, humans, are on earth thinking we have it all figured out. Science and astronomy and all the other smart people that have studied the sky knew the fine details of when the moon would be shadowed by earth, what color would appear, what time it would take place. We were given these details because, well, they just knew. But the thing is, God only allows us to have knowledge of the things He allows us to have knowledge of. What I mean is that our Holy God could have simply shifted the moon or the earth ever so slightly to stop it all from happening. For goodness sakes He could have just placed his thumb in front of the moon preventing us from seeing anything. And yet, he didn't. He is so sweet and loving to us that He allows us the comfort of having the things that we come to expect and know as true. He keeps the earth rotating and stars placed where we can study them. He keeps the sun rising and setting at specific times in our day so that we can have a small sense of order and control here on earth. And yet in Isaiah 66:1 God tells us that Heaven is his throne and the earth is His footstool. Clearly, the God who is unimaginably bigger than us could change all the things we think we know in an instance, but He doesn't. That is worthy of standing in awe and wonder and being humbled by this great, Holy God who loves us enough to allow us the comfort of constants on earth.

2) Complete. Last night I hopped in my car and drove to church so I could sit in God's house praying and taking communion while reflecting on the events of Maundy Thursday. When I went up to the communion table our pastor had me dip the piece of bread in my little juice glass and eat it. There was still juice left so he directed me to, "Finish it off." Although I don't think my pastor meant anything spiritual by saying that little phrase, it pierced me and stuck glued to me until even now. I don't know quite how to describe it but I'll try. As I've been processing this, two pictures come to my mind. First, God chose the only way to fully, completely make a way for us to be with him and commune with Him. Sin separated us from Him and He loved us enough to choose a way that meant only reconciling us to himself one time. He didn't do a little something and then say, "oops, let's try that again" or choose to have a series of things that would pave the way to eternity with Him but instead He did the one and only possible thing that could fully and completely transform our eternity. He finished it off. It's mind blowing to think of how much He loves us. Secondly, it was painful for me to drink the rest of that juice. I know it was just juice but it represents the blood of Jesus. My savior. The perfect lamb that was slain for me and you. How could I have done this? How could I drink the rest of his blood? Wasn't just a little enough? Couldn't I just have a taste?! But NO. God gave every last ounce of His son to us. He allowed all of His blood to be shed for us. His whole body was given to us. I picture Jesus hanging on the cross dripping blood and saying, "It's all yours sweet children. My beloved ones, don't allow a drop to hit the ground. Drink in eternal life. You need all of me." And so we do. We have to fully receive Him and the fullness of what He did for us. Part of the miracle is that we continue to have full access to Him and who He is. He does not withhold anything-not even a drip.

3) We cannot will salvation into our lives any more than we can will spring to come. One of the many things God is helping me understand more is that I have a tendency to slip into a works religion mentality. Even though I know that I cannot earn salvation and I cannot earn favor with God, I find myself doing things to try to earn His love and affection (*see Romans 3 to read more about that). I wish I didn't have this fault but when I recognize it, He helps me re-center on the truth that I cannot earn anything from God. He gave freely. His sacrifice was grace in full and there is nothing I have or can do to earn that. I just have to receive. I was recently listening to a sermon by Timothy Keller in which he talked about how our sin nature leads us to this cycle of grasping and receiving the truth that we cannot earn salvation or favor with God but then we slip right back into works religion thinking we need to be about doing instead of receiving. It makes me think of how we Minnesotans like to wear flip flops starting the day that the calendar says it's Spring. Even though, it's like 40 degrees out and we just got bombed with a huge snow storm. We know it's cold but we are stubborn and determined to will spring to come by dressing the part. Yeah, it doesn't work that way. We might as well keep covered and stay warm until the right time comes to peel off layers.

4) Being held by the cross. It seems impossible to consider that while Jesus was on the cross, He was able to hold us. He was suffering having been beaten and nailed to a wood cross. And yet we know that this God, our mighty savior, is able to hold us even as we lay before Jesus' feet and consider His sacrifice. As His blood was poured onto us, for us, He was still able to hold us and call us to Himself. In fact, the image of the cross is the very thing that should call us to Himself and trust that He is love. Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Tending to sheep meant watching over them closely to protect from harm, it also meant meeting their needs of food and water and care all while enduring longs days and nights. It took a devoted, loving shepherd to be with his sheep. That is the savior we serve. He wants to hold us close to His heart. He gathers us and carries us. Casting Crowns has a new song called Just be Held that talks about letting go and allowing God to hold you. Today, I feel that way. I am so overwhelmed with the reality of the crucifixion that I feel as though God is holding me. The very God that gave everything for me understands that I am not strong enough on my own to even grieve for what He did for me. So He holds us.

5) Jesus gave thanks on the night He was betrayed. Author Ann Voskamp wrote this yesterday on her Facebook page:

"For the Thursday of #PassionWeek: There are no words... the verse that chokes up and changes a life:
" 'And on the night He was BETRAYED...
He broke bread & lifted it up & GAVE THANKS.'
If Jesus can give thanks *in that*?
I can give thanks in everything."

I can hardly add much to that except YES! A thousand times over yes! If Jesus gave thanks on the night He was betrayed and abandoned while He faced His darkest hours, then I too can give thanks in all circumstances.

I've been singing the doxology over and over the past two days. My desire for us is that whether we are headed to church tonight, going out with friends or enjoying a quiet night at home, we will pause to praise the one and only God who has saved us and allowed a way for us to be with Him in eternity.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

In awe of our Savior,
Chels


Casting Crowns has another great song called Follow Me  that is worth listening to. "Just follow me." That's all that Jesus wants of us.