Friday Good

At the end of the work week, when I'm asked how I'm doing, I often say, "I'm Friday good!"  As I encounter co-workers on this day of the week, I even wish them a "Happy Friday!"  Friday is, without doubt, our favorite day of the work week.  And yet, it is a day in which we have a lengthy weekly meeting and often a day when we must catch up and finish out the week, causing it to be busier and potentially more stressful than other days.

So why is Friday good?  Why do we all look forward to Friday?  Why is TGIF a universal rally cry for workers all over America?  Why?  What is the great thing about Friday?  Saturday!  It isn't that Friday is so good in itself, it's that Friday lives right next door to Saturday and we really like Saturday.  Without doubt, the best thing about Friday is Saturday.

Today is not just Friday, which is good.  Today is Good Friday, the day set aside to memorialize and celebrate the day our Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross.  When you think about it, why would that be a good Friday?  What is so good about being scourged, humiliated and nailed to a cross?  What is so good about facing condemnation and death?  What makes this Good Friday?  Sunday!

Friday Jesus went to the cross.  Friday his bloodied, beaten body was hung from a tree.  Friday he was in the hands of sinners and under the curse of the crucifixion.  Friday he was tortured, killed and placed in a tomb.  Friday didn't seem to have any good to it.  In fact, his disciples, feeling defeated, ran away, returning to their fishing nets.  To them, Friday was anything but good.

But then came Sunday!  On Sunday an angel rolled back the stone (cf. Matt 28:2).  On Sunday the disciples found the empty tomb (cf. Jn 20:6).  On Sunday they saw the Risen Lord (cf. Jn 20:19).  On Sunday our Lord broke the strangle hold of death (cf. Rom 6:9).  On Sunday his disciples were afforded the power of the Resurrection (cf. Rom 6:4).  Friday was good because Sunday was great!

Friday was good because Sunday was coming.  Today is Good Friday because Easter is coming.  Friday may be a day of darkness but it in contrast with the light of Sunday.  Your whole life may have been a Friday, filled with darkness and gloom.  You may have more trouble just now than you have the time or energy to talk about.  But, if you are in Christ, Sunday is coming and your Friday is good. Therefore, regardless of the stress you are under, in Christ, you are Friday Good!  Jus' Say'n.