Today is Good Friday. I have always felt fascinated with why this day is labeled “good.” It is, after all, commemorating the day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. When I was growing up I feel like there wasn’t a lot of emphasis on Good Friday in my faith tradition. I’d hear my friends refer to it and my family too, but nothing really beyond it being mentioned. Now that I have kids of my own, we try to remind the kids what today means. We LOVE Easter!! Easter could not have happened without Good Friday, though, and it’s important that we teach our kids why.
Is it “good” that Jesus died on the cross? Well, no, but yes. Terrible suffering for sure, but it is what allows us to be cleansed from our poor choices and lean on His perfect love and sacrifice for strength.
What a valuable lesson for us all to remember. Is it “good” for us to suffer? Well, no, but yes. Life is hard because we learn best through the difficulty. Even as I type this I cringe at all the terrible things that have happened to people that I love. Good Friday, however, gives us hope to overcome those terrible things. May we teach our kids to embrace that hope. Today we’ll read with our kids what happened on Good Friday so long ago and how Jesus may not have labeled it “Good Friday,” on that particular day, and probably not his disciples either. However, just like Sunday came and brought the suffering to an end, our own trials and hardships will end. It’s important for our kids to know that they will experience their own challenges and days that they wouldn’t consider “good” either, but that good can come from it.
May we choose to look to He who suffered on Good Friday so that Easter would come. I am grateful for Good Friday and the miracle of Sunday. I hope your Sunday comes soon!
Kayleen
