Good Friday

As I sit here- looking out my "study nook" window and see the sunlight streaming through the trees, the Joseph's Coat rose blooming, the chickens in their little home, the mini straw bale garden, the smell of cut grass, the birds joyously singing their song-I think to a day- a Friday, 2000+ years ago when One was being putting put to death.

I understand now that so much more happened than I may ever know when Jesus was falsely arrested, beaten, whipped, scourged, mocked, stripped naked, nails put through His hands and feet to be hung on a cross- to die.

"I have come that you have life, and have it abundantly," He told His disciples. Then Life was put to death. (John 10:10)

What happened to this Abundant Life? The One who claimed:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)

The very One who said to Martha:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
The sun came up that morning 2000+ years ago. Just like every morning. The roses bloomed. The birds sung their sweet song.

And yet that day, Love was put to death. "For God so Loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

In a culture that tells us that we should get what we want and what we’re entitled to, and that we ought to live our happiest, best life, it definitely goes against the grain to dwell on something sorrowful. And yet, the words of this hymn invite us to take a journey through the last days and hours of Christ’s life. We join the crowd huddled on the sides of the streets, or at the foot of the cross, or in front of a sealed grave. We are brought together because of our trembling and our tears, but also because of our knowledge of why our beloved Savior had to die. Geography, time, culture – none of these hinder our togetherness in the body and blood of Christ. And so as we sing this hymn, we gather with Christians around the world, remembering. We lift our voices with our brothers and sisters, our voices filled with mourning, but also with hope. For we know that the journey of Good Friday ultimately ends with an open and empty tomb, where the earthquake causes us to tremble in awe and praise.- Hymnary.org

1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? 

3 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? 

4 Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb? 

Psalter Hymnal (Gray), 1987