Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Today is Good Friday, a day when we remember Jesus’ death on the cross. Chapter 27 of the Gospel of Matthew details the account of the crucifixion. In verse 46 it says:
About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli Eli lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
In addition to the excruciating physical pain of the cross, Jesus was separated from the presence of God for the first time. This separation, not the physical pain, is what made him cry out.
When we look at our final verse of Psalm 23 today, we see that the promises of this verse are all the more impactful in light of the cross. Consider the following realities:
Here on Earth→ “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”
After His resurrection and ascension, the gift of the Holy Spirit allows us to experience the gift of His continual presence with us on Earth.
For Eternity→ “and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever”
The sacrifice of the cross and the triumph of the resurrection gives us access to life eternal in our Father’s presence.
The implications of Easter are everything to our faith: for today, for tomorrow, and for eternity. As you spend time with family, at church, and observing various traditions, here are some questions to discuss with your family…
Why did the people in Jerusalem, who were warmly welcoming him days before, turn on Jesus so quickly?
Why didn’t Jesus save Himself?
What does the resurrection mean for us as believers?
He is risen indeed.
Hallelujah!
Anne
P.S. Novice Art Thoughts
Pardon my lack of photography skills…
My phone resurfaced this photo this week. I took the picture during my college study abroad in Florence. I couldn’t tell you the museum or the artist, but I remember learning that this was an Eastern Orthodox depiction of the crucifixion. This tradition’s crucifixion artwork errs more on the side of Jesus’ humanity. Zoom in on his face if you can, and as you do, ponder burden of the cross with the wonder that He did it for you.