Good Friday?

Man, it is FRIDAY! But I do not mean the, "Yippy, it's Friday!" type of Friday. I mean the Bible day of FRIDAYwhen Jesus was crucified. If you remember, FRIDAY was the day He lost all of His friends, the day He was put on trial, mocked, beaten and eventually crucified. FRIDAY is the day that all of the hope of the disciples was crushed. FRIDAY was the day that defeat was certain. FRIDAY was the day th devil danced on grace and thought he had one. FRIDAY SUCKED!
Over the past several days we have seen FRIDAY come at us at full speed. We went form having a really neat worship service planned with the band to have 6 of the 8 band members unable to particpate on Sunday morning. Some are dealing with family crisis including death, some have been crushed by sickness, some have had their hearts attacked and some just have circumstances that make it impossible for them to lead as part of the band on Sunday. Yesterday was the culmination of FRIDAY when we found out that Allen, our worship leader, was in the hospital again. He and his family have paid a huge price physically since coming to work with us. We have had to decide how we are going to have a worship service without a band. Talk about a challenge. Everything would say we will fail miserably on a day when we will have our best attendance for the year. FRIDAY is bearing its teeth and grinning.
On top of the things with the band, I have watched as each one of my staff members has been thrown into FRIDAY. Angie has seen her family attacked having to deal with a couple of deaths and a lot of sickness. Meghan has struggled with sickness that landed her in the hospital once as well as dealing with her new house/old house. Matt has been struggling with sickness, family grief and heartbreak with some friends. FRIDAY has hit hard and is trying to convince them that all is lost.
And for me, I have seen every one of my three siblings struggling. There has been deaths in their families, grief, sickness, serious family issues and marriage stress. I feel for how much they have paid. FRIDAY is in full swing.
I tell you this fo a reason. FRIDAY was followed by SUNDAY!!!! FRIDAY defeat was certain, hope was crushed, the pain was too much. BUT THEN SUNDAY CAME ROLLING AROUND THE CORNER! Jesus showed back up from the dead and let the world know that all that was lost on FRIDAY was made brand new on SUNDAY. What evil tried to secure on FRIDAY was thrown in an empty tomb since Jesus had risen from the dead. The battle turned and God accomplished every single thing He desired.
What a better position to be in this FRIDAY then to see no possible way out and no possible way for success. EASTER is about God turning the tables on Satan and showing that FRIDAY only sets the table for SUNDAY to come in victory. Here is to believing that this SUNDAY will be the Easter of the Bible played out in Pueblo West. Man, I love SUNDAY!