WATCHWORD:
Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26
Meditation:
Life and Death: Yours and Mine
Good Friday, A day of death in order to give us life. And the people cried, “Crucify Him!”
In a recent Our Daily Bread, Kenneth Peterson reminded us of a moment in the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the greatest writers of literature. He stood before a firing squad, ‘ready…aim…” at that moment a letter arrived from the Czar granting him a reprieve. From death to life. An act of God? Perhaps.
Kishle Prison, The Citadel, Jerusalem. Barabbas sat in prison waiting for his execution on a cross on a hill called Calvary. His fate was decided by a crowd who made a choice, and called for the crucifixion of Jesus. An act of God? Yes.
Jesus, speaking of his own execution, tells us of the eternal value of life and death when He said, “The hour has come”. The image is a seed, representing our life, which produces a great harvest through its own sacrifice. How? Jesus tells us not to love this life of ours too much, for it is those who are willing to turn away from our own life to the one with Jesus that will find eternal life. (John 12:25)
How does your faith and mine affect our view of life and death? A question worth considering for the answer brings us closer to our own thoughts of eternal life. May it be so with you and with me. Amen.
Origins of Good Friday:
Good Friday is the day Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary, giving his life for the forgiveness of humankind’s trespasses. This day serves as a reminder that Christ’s death was not an end in itself, but a divine plan for humankind’s salvation. Scholars believe that the term “Good” in Good Friday has come from “God’s Friday” or from the old usage of “holy.” To believers, the “good” is derived from the good news that ensued – the resurrection of Christ and the promise of everlasting life.
Prayer:
Help me Heavenly Father, to draw closer to You and accept the challenge of being a disciple, of being a follower of Jesus my Lord and savior, and to understand the true meaning of life through death. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
