What's so Good about Good Friday?

(photo credit eclatdusoleil)

It's a contradiction, really, to speak of Good Friday as good. It is, after all, the day that Jesus died, and we don't generally think of death as a good thing. When's the last time you heard someone jumping for joy after a loved one died? Probably never. When someone dies, our first thoughts aren't usually, "Good! I'm so glad!"

Sometimes I think we Christians brush over Jesus' death. When it comes to Easter, we sing songs about the resurrection and proclaim gladly, "Up from the Grave He Arose!" because that's what happened. That's the end of the story. But in order for the resurrection to be possible, the death had to occur.

Jesus had to die.

And his death was real.

There's a story in Luke 24 about a couple of Jesus' followers. They were headed home from Jerusalem after witnessing the death of their beloved teacher, and as they walked, their grief was palpable. When a stranger on the road asked why they were so sad, they told him about Jesus, and they said, "We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel." Did you catch that? They said that they had hoped. Past tense. They weren't hoping anymore because when Jesus died, their hope died with him. I'm sure that the grief was unbearable. Their leader, the one that they had trusted in and hoped in and believed in had died. And they were left alone.

God died.

How is it possible that God could die? It goes against everything that we know to be true about him. He is the immortal, unchangeable, king of all creation, all-powerful, unchanging God. And yet, in the span of a few hours one Friday morning, he laid all of that aside and died.

It is, I think, in his death, that we see how human Jesus really was. God doesn't die. People do.

All of these things must have been swirling madly in the minds of the people who knew and loved Jesus. They would never walk or talk with him again. They wouldn't share another meal with him or settle in to hear one of his stories. Maybe they were angry. Maybe they felt betrayed. Maybe they thought that everything they had believed in was a lie.

I don't know everything they felt, but I know how it feels to lose someone you love. To be struck with the awful finality of their parting. To realize that you have hugged them for the last time. To say good-bye.

They had hoped that he would be their Savior.

For those three days between Friday and Sunday, they grieved. They cried. They mourned.

Because he was gone.

And he was gone because of their sin. Because of my sin. Because of your sin. His death was necessary to cancel out everything that is ugly and evil and wrong in this world. And that is exactly what he did. He canceled it all out. In that moment, finally, justice was served.

And that is why Good Friday is so good. Because on that day, God offered himself as the perfect sacrifice, the only sacrifice that would do. And it is by that sacrifice that we are healed. That we are purified. That we are able to draw near to God.

And that, sweet friends, is a good thing.

Until next time, grace and peace.

ec Mag: Stash Some Cash with a Summer Job

Look what arrived in my mailbox the other day. Proof that I actually DO work from home! As a writer, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing my name in print, especially when my article makes it onto the cover. Love it!

I wrote this summer jobs feature for the May 2011 issue of ec magazine. I've written for ec several times before, and it's always fun to get an e-mail from Mandy (a sweet friend who also happens to be the editor) in my inbox.

The article includes tips and stories on how to land a summer job, from the application to the interview to the money. The top 10 list of jobs for teens to avoid {not pictured below} is an added bonus. I was really pleased with the way the article turned out, and I hope you'll check it out. Here's a little sneak peek for you:

You may purchase the May 2011 issue of ec from LifeWay Christian Resources, or, for all of you Southern Baptist folk, you'll probably see some copies on a literature table at your church pretty soon.

Happy reading!

Until next time, grace and peace.

Held Together by the Cross

Saturday morning, I felt like a heathen. I've always been pretty conservative in the way that I dress. My most risque moments stem from being nearly six feet tall - it can be kind of difficult to find skirts and dresses of an appropriate length when you're this tall, you know. I'm hardly ever fashion-forward, and I live my life in a perpetual fear that Stacy and Clinton will accost me in the grocery store. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

Anyway, that's all beside the point.

Saturday morning, I got dressed in a T-shirt and capri pants, hopped in the car, and headed off to practice for the community Easter service. It was at the Pentecostal church. When I walked in the door, I instantly felt conspicuous in my capri pants. I was surrounded by women in floor-length denim skirts with their looooong hair tucked into buns on the back of their heads.

We, clearly, were very different.

But we were also the same. We were there to worship together and prepare for a community gathering of all the Christians in our area. Twice a year, we lay aside our differences and come together in celebration. The pastors from all the churches each share a short message. The choirs mingle together, and we stand on the common ground of faith that we share.

Yesterday afternoon, we gathered together and collectively turned our hearts toward the cross. It was Palm Sunday, and we heard about the hope, and joy, and grace, and new life, and forgiveness, and peace that comes from the cross. I daresay we all had our uncomfortable moments, but we spend so much time talking about our differences that it's nice to lay them aside at least for a little while. It's one of the things I miss most about my days at Beeson.

I love the fact that at the community services, a woman preaches from IBC's pulpit. I love the fact that the Pentecostal preacher makes the less lively of us squirm in our seats. I love the fact that we're in it together, differences and all. It's such a beautiful picture of what heaven will be like. Sometimes it's good to be uncomfortable. We're all different, but the cross is strong enough to bind us together.

On this Holy Week Monday, I hope that your heart is turning toward the cross. That your mind is stayed on the One who gave up everything for us. And that you're clinging to the hope that sprang to life with His resurrection.

Until next time, grace and peace.