Good Friday

As I read Psalm 22 this morning it struck me, acutely, that these are the sufferings of Jesus written at least a century before He would ever feel them. Of course, He knew, He is Himself the Word of God, but reading this scripture this lament that is pouring from the mouth of one of His ancestors I began to understand more deeply the gravity of what Jesus did. The cry in Psalm 22 is different from just knowing a thing will occur, this is a memory before the thing has even occurred. A memory that could very honestly give PTSD to even the bravest soldier and here Jesus is bearing the weight of it before He is even born. Sharing this tremendous burden with an ancestor through prophecy. All of that is God enough, but then there is this – He still came. Knowing what it would cost Him, knowing the monsters the very people He came to save would emulate, knowing the depth of the hunger, thirst, pain, and loneliness He came anyway. He came willingly.

It changes the scene of the prayer in  Gethsemene for me. Suddenly the scene is so much more desperate as the memories of the prophecy of Psalms 22 come flooding back. His best friends literally falling asleep on the job only serving to further foreshadow the imminent betrayals and brutality. And He still went, willingly. Because it was His Father’s will.

It is for us, but not because of us Jesus went to be crucified. As purpose itself, He knew His Father’s dream/plan/promise was only fulfilled when He completed what was written and so He went. Yes, for us but because of His Father, our Father…

Who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

Forever. Amen.