Good Friday is a solemn day in the Christian calendar. It commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus. It is a day of special prayer and fasting. We reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made in dying for our sins. We consider His humility in submitting to His Father’s will.

But Good Friday is also a day of joy. It is a time for us to remember the depth of God’s love for us, which is revealed in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NKJV)  It is that love Paul spoke of in his letter to the Romans, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NKJV).

Tonight, I will attend a candlelight church service to reflect and pray on the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. Yes, I will rejoice with my brothers and sisters on Easter Sunday when we celebrate Jesus’s glorious Resurrection, but tonight I will also allow a bit of joy into my heart as I remember how deeply God loves us.