God's Good Plans

This scripture is the conclusion of the account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, what we now refer to as Good Friday. However, when you read the story there doesn’t seem to be anything good here:  Jesus carrying the cross on the journey to the crucifixion, the mocking on the way, the beating, being pierced by a crown of thorns, and His ultimate death.  We can only imagine the grief and horror of those that had been close to Jesus – His family members, His disciples, and His friends. Even though the scriptures had prophesied AND Jesus taught that He would rise again, it was a very dark day, with sadness and anguish.  People had lost hope because they believed that Jesus would be their Redeemer and become their Earthly king, freeing them from the oppression of the Roman government.  His death left many with feelings of hopelessness and despair.

We as believers now call that fateful Friday Good Friday but that’s only because we know how the story unfolded.  When Jesus said “It is finished”, His earthly ministry had come to an end but it certainly was not the end of the story. The prophecies were being fulfilled. The full story is Jesus suffering, death, AND resurrection! When Sunday came the gift of Salvation was made available to us all. This was a gift not just for the moment or the season, but for eternity and for us all who would believe!

Now thinking back to what those moments on Friday must have been like and the responses of the people all around. I also think about today when we are going through things, our deepest darkest hours of grief, times of challenge, and times of conflict.  

Sometimes it might be difficult to call a day “good” because of what we can see in front of us.

It might be difficult to recognize:

…that later (maybe three days, maybe more or maybe less) that something good is coming

…that God is working out a bigger plan that we can’t see at that moment. 

When we remember that on Resurrection Sunday the goodness, the prophecy, and the promises of Jesus were being fulfilled, then we are reminded that God is continually working out his plan for our lives. We can in those moments (in those Friday moments) remember that Sunday is coming. Deliverance is coming. Resurrection is coming. Salvation is coming!

Lord help us to always remember that your plan is always at work and still at work even when we have confusion, despair, or just not enough information about what’s coming next. Help us to remember that your plan is always at work even when we feel uncomfortable, sad or grieved. Help us to remember that your plan is at work and bring us to a place of peace knowing that you are in control and you’re working it out for the good of us, those that love you, Lord.  We thank you, we praise you.

In Jesus’s name, Amen