Today is known among Christians as ‘Good Friday.’ And this is the day that we pause and give studied reflection to the death of our Lord and Savior upon the cross.

Of course, His atoning death in our place occurred on Friday of Passion Week. However, that day so long ago was anything but ‘good’ for our Lord. On that day, including the hours prior to His crucifixion, Jesus suffered to a degree unknown in the history of the world or in the experience of mankind! The Apostle Paul tells us that in that event of becoming the Sacrifice for our transgression, the Son of God was “made” by God the Father “to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Who among us can fathom that one verse!

And yet, because it was not a ‘good’ day for our Lord, it forever became a ‘good’ day for us who believe in Him!

The prophet Isaiah helps us understand this blessed fact:

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him (Isaiah 53:6-7)

What great news this is! What a ‘good’ day it is, all because of His love for us!