Good Friday

Yes, it's Good Friday today and churches around the world are having services to commemorate the crucifixion of Christ. Strangely, this day is not a public holiday in the United States which is considered as a Christian country by the rest of the world. I was born and raised in Sri Lanka which is a Buddhist country with a minority Christian population. Well, Good Friday which in my native tongue called it as Big Friday, had three hour services in the afternoon (calculated to be the time Jesus hung on the cross) in many of the churches.

As a child of five to six years, I remember of sitting on the front verandah with my friend and talking about Jesus painful death and crying over it. As  a teenager, I used to avoid any kind of meat or fish during lent season and be a vegetarian. The entire day on Good Friday ,I used to fast and  have my meal around 6 pm after coming from evening church service. Today, I haven't fasted nor had myself give up on anything during the Lent season this year. Does that reflect any depletion in my faith. I don't think so. It's more of my aging and willpower than anything, I presume.

Likewise having Good Friday as a holiday or not. doesn't necessarily reflect the nature of our faith either, in my opinion. I do not know when and why United States decided not to make this a holiday as most of the other nations including Budhist and Hindu countries. It would have helped many to dwell on the suffering and sacrifice of Christ on that fateful day and spend some time on reflection. But on the other hand, people could use this day for watching ball games and doing other mundane things giving no thought to Christ or His sacrifice for our redemtion. In such case, a capitalist country like America could benefit  by having people working on this day  rather than sitting on their hinds and watching television at home or munching popcorns at the theaters. So, let me leave the country's decision alone and concentrate what this day means to me.

Well, Good Friday commemorates Christ's crucifixion, and I fully believe that without His sacrificial death on the cross, my death here will end up like any any animal's death. His blood cleansed me from past sins and made in direct communion with God almighty. Otherwise, I'd live , love and die with all my unfogiveness, hatred, pride and projudice intact. An unblemished lamb had to be sacrificed for the sins of people in ancient Jewish customs and it was required by the God of Israel.

Jesus is the unblemished lamb sacrificed for my redemtion. Do I really belief it? Yes, I do. Otherwise, I've no right to call myself a Christian or His follower. How do I know that His blood alone has the power to cleanse the sins of those who come to Him in repentence. Well, that's what Jesus had said and His disciples had preached  and died for. But can I absolutely sure, to stand by it? It's here faith comes in. Faith is the substance you hope for the evidence of which you havent seen yet. When I put my faith in Christ, I believe in what He says. Faith doesn't require proof, and once anything is proved, you don't need faith to believe it . Faith is believing without seeing. Yes, there are times my faith is challenged by doubts, troubles and what's going around the world. But my faith in Christ, who He is, what He said, what He had done and what He had promised is on solid rock and I'm so thankful for that.

Then, what about those who don't believe in Christ? Is He the the one and only way?  That's what the Bible says and even Jesus had said, " I'm the Way. No one come to the Father, but by me."  Doesn't that sound somewhat unfair? There are so many kind and noble people doing so many good things, and they end up in hell and then there were and are Christians who did and do atrocious and unkind things and they end up in heaven? Yes, that sounds very unfair and I'm no one to say who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. God alone is the judge. But one thing for sure, we cannot on our own strength and manoevers can redeem ourselves from sin, however holy and noble our attempt could be. Only God has the power to do that.

We, Christians stand more accountable to what we do. We've no right to look at another person and say he's going to end up in hell, because he's not believing what we believe. If we've practiced what we preach, who knows there won't be even a single unbeliever on earth. All would have been drawn towards our Christ like attitude, love and behaviour and stood in line to be baptized. That's not happening even though we've toiled to evangelize the world. That means something what we are doing is not right and allowing satan to take the upper hand.

On this Good Friday, we need to examine our thoughts and acts to see where we've gone wrong. Otherwise, the precious blood of Christ is shed in vain. He died for all mankind. The Son of God came down to earth to understand human fraility and willingly laid his life so that we could be saved from darkness and destruction. He came to give us peace, joy and love and abundant life to live.

 Do we Christians live a joyful and contended life as He wills for us or are we stressful the rat race like any other chasing the unnecessary. These days ,we even sell His name for our benefits. This need to stop. We need to cry out to God and ask Him to help us come to our senses. Good Friday is a great day to repent and return to the foot of the Cross where our Lord shed His precious blood.

Easter Sunday is coming! Hope of resurrection is in the breeze even though empty tomb is all what we see at times. Risen Christ is going to stand at the door soon. So, be prepared to welcome Him on Easter morning with all jubliation. Until then, lets focus inward and ask Christ to put aright what's not right and beautiful there.