SEEING GOD’S GOOD
Blessed day and blessed Good Friday to All. On today I am experiencing a double tug on my heart. There is a lesson I intended to share, and another I cannot avoid. So, herein is my resolution. First, in keeping with our intended study of Psalm 37, Let Us take to heart its message encapsulated in verse 27, “Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.” Likewise, Let Us continue engaging in our immersive approach for internalizing God’s word. Amen?!
And now, that which I cannot avoid… I pray that on today, you will both have and take the opportunity to reflect on the life of Christ, primarily focusing on what the Lord has done for us through the events of Passion Week and the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for us on this day, Good Friday.
I know that for many, calling this day “good” sounds crazy… ridiculous! Who could possibly see the horrendous acts perpetrated against Christ Jesus leading up to and done on this day as “good”? There was lying, betrayal, denial, and abuse, but I fail to see anything good in all this. Sometimes, in order to recognize the full value of a thing… to see the blessing, benefit, and/or good of a thing, it must be viewed from a different perspective. In this case, we need to see everything from God’s perspective. Let Us glance back to yesterday, Maundy Thursday.
Maundy comes from the Latin word ‘mandatum’ meaning ‘command’. It was on that day, that Jesus commanded his disciples to love and further demonstrated that love, by washing their feet. And, it was on Good Friday, that Jesus committed his greatest act of love: Christ sacrificed his life to redeem their lives and ours. It is Good Friday, not because of the horrific deeds committed against Christ, but because Christ was able to bring his earthly work to completion. Just as in the beginning of time, God looked out over the work of creation and pronounced, “It is good!” Likewise, on that notable Friday, when Jesus committed love’s ultimate act; sacrificing his life for the sake of the world, God looked and pronounced, “ It is good!”
While it is important for us to continue committing God’s List of Do’s, God’s standard of righteous living to head, heart, and practice; there is a higher purpose for which we live. Let Us look to Christ Jesus whose message and model of love is the ultimate purpose for our being. Let Us live out Christ ‘mandatum’… Christ’s command to love.