Is It Friday In Your Life?

There is a wondrous word in our vocabulary that meets with nearly universal acclaim and anticipation. That word is…WEEKEND! Most of us can’t wait for those couple of days to descend upon us and for most, that wonderful time begins on Friday. Friday is the key that opens the door to the weekend. Friday is the relief valve that we reach toward in the days leading up to it. Friday is the soothing balm that is the beginning of a few days away from the workaday world!

However, there was a Friday long ago that was not so wondrous or soothing. For the disciples of Jesus, it was a Friday filled with heart-wrenching, soul-searching anguish. A few days before that Friday, they had witnessed their Teacher, the one they proclaimed as the Son of God, enter into Jerusalem as a conquering king, their long-awaited and prophesied Messiah. The crowds proclaimed Him as such, yelling out, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Luke 19:38; Matthew 21:9) They were pleading with Jesus, for “hosanna” actually means “save now”. It seemed at that moment as though everything that was wrong was now going to be made right at last.

The air on that day was charged with expectation. The Roman soldiers lining the streets were expecting a rebellion, the Jews were expecting a king, and the disciples were expecting a heavenly kingdom. But…that was then. Friday was now upon them and the hope of expectation was now replaced with utter dread. It is difficult for us to even imagine the raw feelings and emotions that coursed through those who had followed Jesus and placed all their hopes and aspirations in Him, now seeing their Hope hanging on a cross.

It was a dark day, that Friday so long ago. Little did the world realize or care to understand the significance of it. For most then, and many today, it was just another day, another set of criminals hanging on a tree for the crimes they committed. Except…for One. He was hanging there because…He CHOSE to be there!

Not many hours before, He prayed in a garden while His closest followers slept. He prayed to His Father in heaven that, if it were possible, let the maelstrom that was about to descend upon Him be averted. Yet, He submitted His will to the will of His Father and in that instant, committed Himself to the torture that was coming. In that instant, the possibility of the world to be freed from the shackles of sin had been secured.

So, there He was on that dark day. He committed no crime but was, in fact, hanging there in someone else’s place. He was hanging there…

…for YOU! For ME! He chose to be ridiculed, spat upon, beaten to a pulp, humiliated, His back torn to pieces, scraping mercilessly against the rough wood. He chose to have the nails driven into His sinless flesh to make the payment required for OUR sin.

It was a dark day, that Friday so long ago. He died upon that tree and was buried in a borrowed tomb. As far as anyone knew, that was the end of it. A life ended too quickly. Such promise, now lying lifeless in a dark tomb!

But…SUNDAY was yet to come!!!

Is it Friday in your life? Are you experiencing doubt or frustration? Have your hopes been crushed? There IS hope!

It may be Friday in your life but remember that Jesus didn’t stay in the ground. Death had no hold on Him. When He walked out of the tomb on that Sunday, He not only conquered death but loudly proclaimed victory over anything that this world can throw at us.

Place your trust, and all your hope, in Jesus!