What's so Good About Today?

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. – Matthew 27: 45, 50-51

More than two thousand years ago, Good Friday changed the course of history.  I grew up in the church perplexed why followers of Jesus named the day our Savior was crucified on a wooden cross Good Friday.  How was it “good” when Jesus suffered so intensely and His pain was so excruciating? 

It wasn’t until I was an adult writing a children’s Easter drama that I discovered Good Friday is better than good, it’s phenomenal!  

Yes, Jesus’ persecution and death were horrible.  He was whipped, beaten, spit on, mocked and forsaken by God when He took our sins upon Himself.  Until that moment on the cross, Jesus had not spent even one second apart from God.  Through His suffering, Jesus fulfilled God’s greatest calling upon His life on earth: to save a lost and broken world. This enormous and painful sacrifice for Jesus was so good for all of us. 

The moment Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished,” and gave up His life, the whole earth shook and the thick curtain in the temple that separated God from His people tore from top to bottom.  Before that, for hundreds of years, only the high priest could go behind the curtain, into the “holy of holies,” and communicate directly with God.  Once a year, he alone had the privilege of standing before God on behalf of the Jewish people. 

In a split second, Jesus’ death on the cross changed all that.  His sacrifice made a way for every person on this earth to step into the presence of God.  Man or woman, rich or poor, young or old, Jewish or Gentile, all people of every color, race, and nationality are invited to approach God anytime, anywhere.  

Our 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call is a reminder of Jesus’ incredible, life giving, earth shattering sacrifice.  Every day we can give God thanks and praise for our new life, our freedom from death, and our abundant life on earth through the blood of Jesus. 

We can also wake up and remember that one day in history Jesus made a way for all of us to run into the throne room of God and give our father in heaven all our worries, concerns, sadness, joy and dreams.  He’s available 24/7 to listen, love, and receive our prayers.

Happy Good Friday!  Isn’t today amazingly good?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement