Good Friday

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This poem was inspired by Mirriam Neal's words last night:

Good Friday 

3/26/16

In that moment, I would not have called that day, “Good”.

Soul wrenching.

Gruesomely unjust...

But not “Good”.

No... Not “Good.”

As His mother sobbed

As her precious son was hung to die -

As the women wept

And others watched in silence -

As He hung there, bloodied and beaten,

And some in the crowd mocked Him...

Ah... No.

I could see no good in that day.

For in those moments all I saw

Was loss,

Fear,

Death...

All I could see was the man who'd healed the sick,

Loved the outcasts

And brought us hope,

Gasping for breath, crying out for a drink,

And slowly dying.

All I saw was misery.

Looking back now -

Knowing what I know of the empty tomb,

The joyful reunions,

The Risen Savior -

I can truly call it, “Good”.

But isn't it so much more than that?

It was more than “Good”.

It was Holy.

Holy in an earth-shaking,

Temple-curtain-rending way.

Holy in an awe filling,

Heart-aching way.

Holy in a life-changing,

Death defying way.

Holy -

As the Father turned His back on His Son -

And for the first time in eternity They were separated.

Holy.

As He cried out, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?”

Holy.

As the angels stood and watched the God of Heaven

Dying.

Holy.

As He cried out, “It is finished!” and died.

Oh so Good... Oh so Holy.

Friday is called

“Good”, because Justice met with Mercy

And was satisfied...

My debt was paid in blood...

It is because of Grace that I quietly acknowledge,

Today is more than merely a “Good Friday”.

Today is the day my filth was wrapped in a strong embrace -

Today is the day He named me His child, set apart from eternity.

He exchanged my rags for a robe,

And my freedom was won for me...

So yes,

Oh yes -

I can say today is blessedly Good –

And so much more than that.

Today is the day He gave me His Life

So I could Live.

It is Good.

~Ophelia - Marie Flowers