A Bad Friday Turned into a Good Friday

Friday, April 10, 2020

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 2:22 -24

I was a hollow shell, an idolater, and envious. Hurt, broken, insecure, rejected, prideful, selfish, secretive, and self righteous.

These are just a few of the things that described me before I had a transformational encounter with the Living God.

He met me on my personal road to destruction. Despite every effort to self sabotage and wallow in self pity...

He said “Look at me. I am hanging on this cross, completely perfect and utterly undeserving.”

I turned away, filled with shame.

He said, “No, look at me!” This time it was an urgent plea. “I am in excruciating pain, these splinters are merely lodging into the wounds from the brutal whippings I received that ripped my back apart. Yet, my back is strong enough to carry the weight of your sin.”

I looked up at him with my shoulders slouched.

“I remained silent as every accuser lied on me, spit on me, and mocked me. My closest friends adamantly denied knowing me. My life was on the trading block for the life of a murderer. They released him and sent me here to hang on this cross, look at me! Yet the rejection I faced and the blood I shed allows me to embrace you and cover every hurt that you’ve ever felt.”

Tears ran down my face and I began to speak.

But as He knew my very thoughts, He said, “Look at my face. Do you see the blood that runs down my cheeks from the crown of thorns they mashed into my skull? I hung my head low so you can lift your head high to boast in my mercy for you.”

I started sobbing.

He said, “Look at my arms. They are barely stretched wide enough to be nailed to this cross. Yet they are wide enough to receive not only your sin, but the sin of the entire world.”

I felt overwhelmed, hyperventilating through every tear that fell from my eyes, I fell to my knees.

He said “Look at my ribs, feet and knees as I lift myself up to take every breath. I am suffocating! But the time is drawing near, I am taking your life in exchange for mine. I can hardly breathe now. Yet my lungs are strong enough to inhale your sin and punishment and breathe out my life into you, not just in this moment, but for eternity.”

Before He took His last breath He whispered, “just wait, I’ll be back.” Just like that there was no more breath in His body.

I cried out, “Jesus, don’t leave me! I’m sorry!” Then I remembered He said, “just wait, I’ll be back.”

They took Him to the tomb and sealed it with a stone...

He turned death into an extraordinary thing. He turned my mess into His wonderful work. He turned a bad Friday into a Good Friday.