Living In Troubled Times - A Good Friday Meditation Series

We like stories that have a happy ending. We like to hear the words – “And they lived happily ever after”. But that is not what happened on Good Friday. Just the reverse happened then. The events started with a party and ended with a crucifixion. Things had not turned out on that Friday – the way anyone had expected. Who would have thought – who would have imagined? But it happened just the same. On that Friday – which did not seem so good – those who were there could have cried out – “We live in troubled times”. And they did.

Let me tell you a fact – Bad stuff happens to good people.

And we can cry out that – “We live in troubled times” – because we live in a bent – broken and twisted world. Bad stuff happens. It is a fact of life. Bad stuff happens – and it happens more often than we want to admit. “We live in troubled times” – and somehow we have to deal with it.

Those who left the cross that day – that Good Friday so long ago – did not see anything “GOOD” that day. They did not have the advantage that you and I have today. We who are standing on this side of cross - this side of history – know how the story turns out. But it would take some time before those who watched the crucifixion with their own eyes would see that anything good could come out of that awful Friday. On that Friday so long ago – as the day ended – and their tear stained faces hit their pillows they would probably have cried – “We live in troubled times”.

Good Friday services are not intended to make you feel good. They are intended to make you reflect on the fact that – bad stuff happens to good people – because it does. Bad stuff happened to Jesus – and it happens to us and sometimes it does not make sense.

But God…

I like that phrase – But God…

We have an advantage – you and I – because we are on this side of the cross. The day ended as an awful day – there was nothing “good” about it. You and I need to reflect on that fact that bad stuff happened to the One who was totally good. He was beaten – He was bruised – He was crucified. But God…

But God can take something that is totally bad - and turn it into something good. He can take the crucifixion of Christ - and make it a point of our salvation. But God... We live in troubled times - but God...

Let us Pray: “May we reflect this day on crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”