The one who rewrote the Batman comics, Doug Davidson, tells a story about the time he took his three-year-old with him to return a book to the seminary library. The child had never been inside before. As he shuffled into the vestibule, he stopped in his tracks. Before them hung an almost life-size crucifix. He watched his son’s eyes fix on Jesus’ twisted body, bleeding hands and feet. He had never seen such an image. In their Baptist church, the cross was empty, its Jesus had risen and ascended. For a moment, Doug considered taking the boy away to shield him from the violence statue, But it was too late.

Doug thought his son might cry. Instead, without taking his gaze from the dying Jesus, the child whispered a question full of sadness and great sorrow: Daddy, what happened?

Today on this Good Friday, we have become accustomed to empty crosses that have no meaning. Maybe It’s almost a point of pride with some Protestants not to exhibit Jesus’ bloody crucifixion, but to focus instead on the resurrection. And that’s good too. But empty crosses can also be evasive, shielding us from facing the violence inflicted on Jesus for our sins and the violent acts to do to each other – which is one reason Good Friday is important. It answers the question the kid asked Daddy, “what happened?”. It’s a day to sadly, sorrowfully and joyfully stare the complicity of a broken saviour in the face, as he dies in the worst way possible.

A Good Friday Reflection

What if I stopped in my tracks and gazed at the crucifixion? What if I stood still and took it all in? The pain, the horror, the confusion. What if I asked, and really wanted to know what happened?

“I am poured out like water, my heart is melted within my breast; my tongue sticks to my jaws. My hands and feet have shriveled; I can count all my bones.” Psalm 22:14-17 (NRSV, abridged).

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, please answer my humble Good Friday prayer/question. What happened? I really want to know. Please show me and make your sacrifice real to me, in Christ name, Amen.

On this weekend, where the focus will be on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, joy – not sorrow – should be our spiritual response. Did you know that it’s God’s will for you to be joyful always? God wants you to be happy and carefree. He wants you to love your life no matter what your circumstances look like. When you have joy amid difficult circumstances, it’s evidence that you have faith and trust that God will bring you through.

In Christ, joy is strength. When you have His joy, you can stand strong, no matter who or what wants to crucify you. You may say, “I’m just not a real jovial person. I’m more serious. I never laugh much.” I realise God made us all differently, but you can experience real inward joy, which should externally make you happy and excited. So let yourself laugh and have fun, because that’s why Christ came and died. I read that the average child laughs over 200 times a day, but the average adult only laughs 4 times a day. What happened? We’ve allowed the pressures of life, stress and responsibilities to steal our joy.

Today, during this Holy weekend, decide to get your joy back. Decide that you will look beyond Friday’s problems, to Sunday’s resurrection and hope, knowing that God will see you through. Ask Him every day to fill you with His supernatural peace and joy, so that you can live in Christ’s strength and victory all the days of your life!

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT).

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, I humbly receive Your Word today. Father, on this weekend, I choose to open my heart to You and invite You to fill me with Your joy and strength that the resurrection brings. Yahshua, thank You for showing me Your goodness and empowering me with Your grace. I bless You today for Your amazing sacrifice, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

The leaders saw that Jesus was attracting a large following. They did not know His true intentions. One thing was clear: to them, it was imperative that His influence must come to an end. The leaders just wanted to silence Jesus and add Him to the list of those who had been forgotten. At the cross they thought their strategy had worked. He had been abandoned by His friends. Few had been brave enough to attend His crucifixion. Soon, Jesus would be forgotten.

The leaders were shocked to learn that His body had disappeared from the tomb where He had been buried. Hallelujah! They developed a strategy to minimise any further disruption or attraction. They paid the soldiers who had watched His tomb to spread the rumour that His disciples had stolen His body. The rumour spread, but His followers learned the truth: He indeed had risen from the dead. Every effort to silence Him had failed, and He could not be forgotten.

Today, this story reminds us that God remembers. All the world may fade away. Our actions may be forgotten. We may be overlooked and taken for granted. But He knows everything. He knows when we have been faithful, and He keeps His Word. His plans are sure and He cannot be stopped by armies or governments, no matter how powerful. You can rejoice that God fulfils every promise. He rewards faithful servants who are good stewards of the resources they have been given and He never forgets!

“Some of the guards … reported to the chief priests all that had happened … they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.” (Matthew 28:11-13 NASB).

Let’s Pray

Emanuel, thank You for going through hell just for me. Father, help me to be a faithful follower of Christ, regardless of what others may say, or how unfashionable it is. God, my desire is to please and serve You till death. I pledge today to never allow You to be forgotten in this sinful life, in Jesus’ name! Amen.