Psalm 22:1 – My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? (NKJV)

On Good Friday last year, Greta and I went to a country church that was a 45-minute drive from our place. We went because I had led worship services there many times before COVID and my health problems. We wanted to see the people again after all this time. We really enjoyed the wonderful, traditional Good Friday worship service. It emphasized the death of Jesus on the cross, and the choir sang a couple of anthems. After the service, we all gathered in the fellowship hall and had hot cross buns with coffee or tea for a very nice lunch. We had a chance to fellowship with kindred people and to reacquaint ourselves with a number of them.

At home in the evening, we watched the television news from Toronto, Canada. It started out with a report of an Easter fair which was held in a town not too far away. There were literally thousands of people in attendance, young as well as old. There were rides of various kinds and a petting zoo for children. In a certain area, there were many bales of straw, and loose straw strewn around where children could search for Easter eggs. It was a very festive occasion. A number of people were interviewed, and they commented about the great time they'd had. The festivities were to go on until Easter Monday.

Later, I reflected on that day, which so many people had spent in a carnival-like atmosphere, while others like ourselves, had spent time in worship, remembering that Jesus suffered the agony of betrayal, false accusations, and death on the cross.

I doubt that very many people at the fair had any idea of why this was "Good Friday" and what "Easter" really meant. This reminded me of one of the anthems that the choir had sung that day, called "Jesus Died Alone" written by John Parker. Each verse begins by recounting an event when crowds listened to Jesus' teaching or sought His healing or hailed Him with palm branches. Each of the three verses then goes on to contrast what happened while Jesus was facing death on the cross, beginning with "But".

But in the garden on His knees,
'Neath the silent olive trees
Where he prayed in agony,
Jesus prayed alone.

But on the night he was betrayed,
To the priest no word He gave.
No defense to them He made.
Jesus stood alone.

But when he hung upon the tree,
On a hill called Calvary,
Forsaken, died for all to see.
Jesus died alone!

Jesus died so that our sin could be forgiven, so when it comes to choosing between Jesus and the world, let's make sure that we stand with Jesus!

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, as we reflect on the events of Good Friday and Easter, it is our earnest prayer that more people would hear the truth of the gospel and believe. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

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About the author:

Joel Jongkind <austria67@bmts.com>
Meaford, Ontario, Canada
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