Hope

Today is a good Friday- It's Good Friday!

I think it's easy to get down on ourselves on Good Friday. I mean, it is a sad day. It's the day that we remember Jesus dying on the cross. It's the day we remember the beatings, the torture, and the shame that he endured as he took the sin of the world. Certainly for Jesus's friends and family, that Friday way back when was very sad. But, we know the whole story. We know that this had to happen so that we could be forgiven. We know that because of this sacrifice made on our behalf, we have a chance at eternal life. We know that in three days (on Sunday), we will celebrate Jesus's resurrection and victory over sin and death! We can have hope because of what happened on Good Friday. We can trust that Jesus has fulfilled what he said when he said, "In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world!"

Source: snurl.com via Raisa on Pinterest

So, today, I challenge you to remember that today is a good Friday. Without Jesus's death on the cross, we would have no hope. We would still be offering sacrifices and trying our hardest to keep all of the law. Now, we have a chance. We have a hope! Jesus came not to abolish the law (I mean, there were some good parts of it), but rather to fulfill the law. He came to be our sacrifice- our perfect sacrifice. I challenge you today to find joy in the midst of a bad situation. Remember to "praise the one who paid [our] debts and raised this life up from the dead". It's certainly good to remember the sacrifice and how it didn't come without a cost. But, don't forget hope! Two thousand years later, we have hope! We know that Jesus isn't going to stay dead and that he is going to return. The story doesn't end tonight. There's more- another chapter. Keep turning the pages until Easter Sunday. There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning! Find good. Find joy. Find hope.