Devotional-Good Friday

Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!
Isaiah 61:3



How good is this “Good Friday” for you?
While the whole world dons new Easter outfits, you find yourself wrapped in different garments. Garments of frustration. Garments of despair. What’s so good about “Good Friday”?
As you examine your own situation, ponder that first, most important, Easter weekend.
Perhaps you are like the disciples were that day. Can you imagine their thoughts? Of course you can. “How can this be happening? How can I possibly surrender the one I love to death? How can I go on without Him? Why couldn’t things have worked out another way?”
The hearts of the disciples broke as they found themselves wrapped in the garment of tears, sewn for them by sorrow’s hand. You may know the feeling. The knot in the back of your throat that chokes your words and fills your mouth with sobs before you even know what happened. Can you relate to these broken men? What was so good about their “Good Friday”? What’s so good about yours?

If we could only reach back in time to tell the disciples to hold on! The greatest tragedy they had ever witnessed was actually the central event of mankind!

Perhaps you are more like the women who went to the tomb to take care of Jesus’ body. Perhaps you are waiting for life to spring forth from a dead womb. The garments of confusion must have nearly choked the life out of them. They searched for life in a tomb. You search for life in a womb. They knew what waiting felt like. So do you! Don’t you know that each step they took toward the tomb that day must have felt like a mile. Just like every month you wait for that baby feels like a year.

Oh, if we could reach back in time and speak to them! A miracle is coming, Martha! Don’t give up! Hold on to your hope, Mary! Things haven’t happened the way you had planned, but you’re gonna love what God is doing!

Before many days passed, things were going to change! These heartbroken, confused men and women would see Jesus triumph over death, hell and the grave! Before many days passed, they would peer gap-jawed into a tomb emptied by the resurrection power of God! Before many days passed, they would see the scars in His hand, feet and side. Before many days passed, He would stand before them, and everything would make sense.

They just had to get through “Good Friday”.

I wonder how many times the angels assigned to their care must have whispered the words God whispered to David’s soul: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! (Psalm 30:5). Maybe they heard the angels whispering as leaves were blown along the ground when they sat up all night, confused and heartsick. Another tear fell. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Another hour passed, another question unanswered. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!

When that first Easter Sunday morning finally came, the whole world was changed. Death was conquered! Satan whimpered in defeat! The Son of God really was who He said He was!
As you face your own “Good Friday”, tune your ear to the conversation in the heavenlies. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Another period starts. More questions unanswered. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Another loss. Another diagnosis. Your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! What seems to be your greatest tragedy, may just be the greatest opportunity for God to show Himself strong in your life. Just hold on! Sunday morning is coming!

God hasn’t forgotten your story. He knows when your Sunday will come, and He knows just how to bring that joy to you. Perhaps joy will come wrapped in a baby blanket. Perhaps joy will blanket you with peaceful resolution. He knows that joy will come in your morning. He knows His Son died on Good Friday to make provision for you to spend eternity with Him.

That makes Good Friday really, really good.