Good Friday

I'm thinking about Easter and all that it means to me today. It is, after all, "Good Friday". I remember wondering as a child why we call it Good Friday. I never really understood what was so good about the day Jesus died on the cross.

Now I know.

That day has changed the world. The One who literally split time, forever changed the future. In the most terrible of deaths, Jesus made that Friday Good.

I love to hear my children talk about Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit, especially when we don't prompt them. In those moments, I am able to catch a glimpse of where their heart is. Like when I ask, "Who made this mess?" Andrew said once, "God did!"

He knew, from our teaching him...God made everything!

Or sometimes I'll hear them reading stories. Jack is a great reader and will read to Andrew from their books; but something makes my throat tight when I hear him read a favorite Bible story to his little brother. Andrew "reads" Bible stories too, although he doesn't always get the details exactly right. Still, it is precious.

I guess having children has taught me most about how much God loves me. I cannot remember a time never knowing God loved me. I always knew He did, but really didn't ever have a clue about how He loved me. Having children of your own opens your heart to levels of love and concern you never dream of knowing.

Oh how great is the Father's love for us?

Well, I don't know if I'd have named today "Good Friday", I suppose someone in "the church" way back when got that privilege. I don't what would become of me if it hadn't been for Good Friday? If Jesus had only been a good man? If no payment for sin had been made? What if there were no example of so great a love? To know that grace had not been made available? No salvation? No Savior? No peace? No eternity with the Father?

What on earth would I live for?

I love my family, my children...but if they were all I had to live for, so much would be missing.

I'm not trying to be super-spiritual here. I'm simple minded today. Today is simply the day I remember that Jesus died on the cross for me. As a child, I simply believed that fact; as a teenager I acted on that fact; as an adult I live my life in honor of that fact.

Simply amazing. God loved me so much, He gave His only little boy, to die in my place, as payment for all I would ever do that is wrong. Now, I don't have to die; I can now live, because Jesus loves me.

He loves you too.

I hope you will have a good Friday.

TGfF, Thank-you God for Friday!