Sunday is Coming

Good Friday was the arguably the worst day in the history of mankind.

Jesus — a man who controlled the weather, healed the sick, comforted the brokenhearted, fought for social justice, and sought to bring a kingdom of peace in the midst of an oppressive Roman government — was crucified. His closest friends, the men who quit their careers and followed him like nomads, deserted him and denied their connections with him. He was beaten, mocked, and put through excruciating physical pain. Worst of all, the relationship that had forever existed between Jesus and the Father, an eternal oneness in Love that no one can even comprehend, was severed. This was a pain so great no human can even fathom.

What is good about a day like this? It should be named Worst Friday.

And Saturday? It should be called Sorrowful Saturday. After Jesus’ body was put in the tomb, it was eerily quiet. A day of so many unanswered questions. The disciples felt foolish for wasting three years for a man that just… died. They wondered, after witnessing thousands of miracles, why Jesus wouldn’t fight back. He just… gave up. The new kingdom they longed for vanished and they were left disappointed and devastated.

It was Bad Friday, until we get to Sunday.

Sunday — the resurrection. Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death forever. The veil was torn in the temple, providing a way for all people to enter the presence of God. The wrath of God for all the sins of the world were poured out on His perfect son, so that we might be called blameless. We are not only forgiven, but counted righteous. It was the greatest gift for those who believed, followed by an even sweeter gift — the promise of his Spirit to give us abundant life. This terrible day ended up being a victorious, beautiful day or redemption, love and hope.

Many of us are going through Friday right now. A time when evil is winning. Surrounded by pain and sorrow and disappointment and brokenness and death. Or maybe we are on Saturday, that quiet day after a tragedy filled with so many unanswered questions. We look at our circumstances and ask, Why would this happen? How on earth can anything good come from this?

But my friends — Sunday is coming. It’s coming! It has been written and planned before time. It will happen! We are the lucky ones this side of the cross to get a sneak peak into the end of the story. And spoiler alert: Good wins. Evil will be wiped from the earth, and there will never be any darkness, because the glory from the Lord will fill the earth. We will have new, perfect bodies, without sickness. There will be no strife or jealousy, but only love and goodness. These things are promised for those who look back at that weekend two thousand years ago and say, Yes, that happened. I believe. 

I am thankful for this weekend, for so many reasons. It gives me great hope. The hope that one day we will look back on all of the days where it looked like evil prevailed, and call them Good.