Beautiful Friday

Good Friday. Every year I'm caught off-guard again by this title - no surprise there, I know. But it's true.

I had today off, which was definitely good. I went for an invigorating run this morning, also good. Woke up with a headache - not so good, but coffee and ibuprofen worked - good. Apple muffins were already made - good. Just realized I left wet clothes in the washer almost all day, not good. Ate Pei Wei for dinner - good.

"Good" according to a few definitions from good ol' Webster: "of a favorable character or tendency, profitable, fit, advantageous, suitable, agreeable..."

Good Friday: Christ's sacrifice = suitable and fit substitute payment for what I owe, thus "good" in my Heavenly Father's eyes.
Good Friday: Christ's sacrifice = advantageous, profitable, and life-giving for me based on nothing I've done or deserve, thus very "good" for me.
Good Friday: Christ's sacrifice = horrible agony and pain willingly and unfairly suffered by perfect Jesus, thus what for Him?

I don't know.

I ran this morning through the most beautiful version creation gives me of Good Friday. It was my favorite kind of outside moment - the gorgeous deep, billowy dark blue-gray, stormy sky with golden-bright sun shimmering through like spotlights on trees, houses, landscape. That fleeting, wonderfulness where the illuminated spring green of the trees against the deep purple backdrop is fiction-esquely beautiful but very real... because I'm running smack into it, weaving in and out and through it, breathing it in...

Breathing in the oppressively gray sky, heavy with grief and pain and death. Breathing in the glorious golden beams of hope and life shimmering in brilliantly stark contrast. Each opposing and complementing the other in a beautiful tension.

And I know that knowing how the story ends makes all the difference, and I know that this day is beautiful.


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