Sitting through a Good Friday Service and listening to the excruciating story of the crucifixion is difficult. The story of the cross is packed with drama, betrayal, injustice, pain and suffering. But if we look closely, we can still uncover the goodness of God.
Scripture teaches us that Jesus gave up His life long before anyone took it. Love was the motivating factor—nothing less or more. He said, “…no one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own accord.” Our salvation is more important to Him than His own life; that is the goodness of God.
In this story, we also see the goodness of God in his choice to become human for us. Because of this choice, He can identify with our pain and suffering. When we turn to God with our own afflictions, our compassionate Lord understands our plight because of what He underwent on the cross. As we draw closer to the cross, we discover that the healing of our own hurts is linked to His wounds.
In the story of the cross, we also discover the message of hope. When one of the two men who hung next to Jesus comes to terms with his own guilt, he asks that Jesus remember him when He comes into His kingdom. Jesus offers these redeeming words, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” This is the goodness of God in action. When we are spiritually at our lowest, we have a merciful and graceful God who wipes away all our sins, faults and mistakes to make us whole.
Lastly, the goodness of God is revealed when death does not constrain Him—He rises on the third day. There is no revitalization without Good Friday. Just like in our lives, there is no victory without struggle, no salvation without sacrifice and no resurrection without the cross. Let us bear witness to the goodness of God on Good Friday and every day.
