If I’m telling the truth, I don’t feel like writing. Life has been tough lately. We’re facing some challenges in our family that are just hard, and I’m emotionally and physically worn out. I despise vague posts, comments, etc. . . . where people hint at problems but don’t reveal them. Having said that, I know that’s what I’m doing here. There will come a time when I share more about what is going on, but for now, it’s something that I’m keeping within the circle of those we know in “real life”.
But that doesn’t mean that I can’t share what I’m learning in this process.
I’m learning, not just in my head, but in my heart, that I serve a God that is faithful and trustworthy and good and loving. I “know” those things. I’ve been in church since I was a baby. I vividly remember being six years old, and one night, all alone, telling Jesus I wanted Him to live in my heart forever. I knew, I still know, He loved me enough to die for me . . . to sacrifice everything to forgive me of my sins. And yet, it’s in the face of one of the biggest tests and trials of my life that it truly becomes a reality. That I have to ask myself if I really believe He is everything He says He is. Am I going to trust my Savior? Not just as my Redeemer but also as my Healer. Do I really believe the Holy Spirit is my Comforter and Counselor? Do I truly understand that I serve a Heavenly Father that loves me infinitely and unconditionally? I don’t know that I’ll ever fully grasp all of that this side of Heaven, but I also know, He’s working in me. He’s transforming my heart day by day.
There was nothing seemingly “good” about Good Friday. Can you imagine the absolute oppression and depression, the disappointment and heartbreak, of the friends, family, and followers of Jesus? The darkness that seemed as if it would never lift . . . what they didn’t know or understand, is that while they were mourning and breaking under the weight of the most immense loss they had ever felt, God was at work. God is always at work. And Sunday was coming . . . Jesus was about to rise again. That’s the good news of the darkest day in the history of the world. Jesus is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father. We are deeply and intimately and unconditionally loved and understood. We are redeemed, and we are forgiven. We have a Savior . . . we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide and comfort . . . we have our Heavenly Father who sees us and loves us. All we have to do is accept it.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Matthew 27:35-66
Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:
“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”
Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
Pilate Sets a Guard
On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Courtney's Contemplations . . . 