God Gave His People Echoes of Hope

What could possibly be good about this Friday? Our savior, for whom the “weary world rejoiced” has been put to death. We mourn . . . and we wait.

I’m reminded of the words of S.M. Lockridge’s now famous sermon, “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming.” Hear it in Pastor Lockridge’s own voice.

We don’t live in biblical times, but we sure have our list of “Friday things” that are happening in each of our lives, don’t we? Whether it be illness, death, strained relationships, unemployment, difficulty paying our bills, or a myriad of other heartaches, the fact that we live in a fallen world means that we will have hard times (not might, but will). (John 16:33)

As I began this article, I started reflecting on what it must have been like to be a disciple . . . or Mary, mother of Jesus . . . on this dark day in history. Did Mary’s heart harken back to the gift of myrrh given by one wise man? Myrrh is used in preparing bodies for burial and must have seemed like an odd choice for a newborn baby, but now its meaning resonates to her core and breaks her heart.

What about the disciples? Jesus forewarned them about this day, but how could they bear to witness the agony and cruelty of his death?

How do any of us get through the most difficult of times?

It is because we now know that Sunday’s coming! Many times I’ve heard someone preach about the time of waiting between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But this year, something else occurred to me.

Before he performed the miracle of miracles in the Resurrection, God was performing wonders. The earthquakes and darkness that came over the land showed God’s power and testified that Christ is God’s son. Rocks split open (Matthew 17:51). Tombs were opened, and the bodies of saints were raised to life (Matthew 27:52). And, in a sign that would have been obvious to all those who lived at the time, the temple veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:51). The veil was torn. The veil that separated the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelled, from the area where the priests served . . . was torn. . . from the top to the bottom! Only God could remove that barrier and allow us into his presence! The new covenant between God and man was established by Christ’s sacrifice.

I find it remarkable that even on the darkest of days, even during a time of deep mourning, God gave his people echoes of hope.

As we await the celebration to come on Easter Sunday and take in all that God has done for us, what echoes of hope can we see? I’m praying that God will make those known to you even today.

As the Bible says in Romans 15:13, “Now, may the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

P.S. Our staff has compiled a playlist so that we can join together in celebrating Easter and our eternal hope! We hope you enjoy it!