TGIGF

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭(NKJV)

The interesting thing about explaining to children about the world, our God who made it, and the Son He sent here to die for us, is that we adults are challenged to distill concepts and simplify them to explain them in an accurate but digestible way. “Age-appropriate,” I believe the term is.

Many people, even people who don’t believe in God, like to say with relief, “TGIF” (thank God it’s Friday). Well, for true believers, though it’s a very, very solemn day we observe, we truly do thank God for loving us so much that He would sacrifice Jesus as a ransom for many. So, we observe Good Friday to remember when Jesus bore all our sins for us on the cross, and died doing it.

Just as it is today, there were so many back then who didn’t want to hear Jesus or believe in Him. There were those who got violent when presented with the Good News. There were those who wanted Him dead. So, I present it that way to my son, when he asks why people didn’t want to listen or believe. I tell him that, even today, sometimes people don’t want to believe the truth.

And so, Jesus took on all the hatred of the unbelievers. He took all our sins for all time. And despite telling His apostles that He would rise again after being killed, they scattered like sheep, just as He foretold. He showed us the ultimate life lived in sacrificial love.

God used that darkest day to change everything forever, for the better. The temple veil was torn from top to bottom, forever putting us in direct communication with God. And much more was to come, in continuing fulfillment of the Scriptures.

Thank God it’s Good Friday.