“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Psalm 30:5, ESV
What is so good about Good Friday? Jesus suffered. Jesus died. There was great sorrow that marked this day. All hope had seemed to be lost.
But the reason that Friday is good is that Friday is not the end of the story. There is more to be told. Sunday is coming.
We have the benefit of knowing how it ends. We can observe Good Friday knowing full well that Jesus is alive. The resurrection is well known. But it was not so for the disciples and other followers on that day. Nothing seemed certain. It was a dark day.
We too have dark days that are filled with sorrow. We experience loss. We grieve and we mourn. It is hard just like it was that first Good Friday.
The Book of Revelation is filled with horrifying images. There are wars, famines, plagues, and violence. But the book is not really about any of that stuff. It begins, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). It’s not the revelation of disaster. It is the revelation of Jesus. Through all of it, Jesus stands victorious. Today may be rough. And it may get rougher. The valley may be long, longer than we thought. But every road will be may straight and every valley will be lifted up (see Isaiah 40:3-5).
From where we stand today, we do not always know how the story will play out. But for those of us who are in Christ, we do know how the story will end. It will end in the arms of Jesus. There is no experience that could be happier.
Today, we may shed a tear. That is good. It is important to express our emotions and grief to discover healing. But when we grieve, we grieve in faith. We do not grieve as those who are without hope (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13). We grieve and give our sorrow to Jesus who dries our tears and turns that sorrow into joy.
Amen! Thank you Pastor Phil for this Lenton Devotional.