O Come And Mourn With Me Awhile

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Luke 23:44-47 – It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent!" (ESV)

Good Friday is the most sombre day of the Christian year. Jesus died on the cross. It is a day when we can sing, "O come and mourn with me awhile".

It was my first time leading a Good Friday service. The centrepiece in the sanctuary was an eight-foot cross, not shiny and polished, but rough, with seven nails protruding from it. At a certain point in the service, I was going to invite all in the congregation to write their names on a bulletin insert that said, "I, ________, declare that Jesus Christ suffered and died for my sins." Each was then to come forward and place their name on one of the nails.

Before the service began, the organist came into the church with her gown on. She told me that she had put on some old clothes which were somewhat dirty and tattered. It did not matter, as her gown would cover them up.

The service began, and we sang the traditional hymns of crucifixion. Following the sermon, it was time to come to the cross. I invited my parishioners to come forward and spend time at the cross and put their names on it. Before I completed the instructions, the organist threw her gown to the floor and was the first one on her knees before the cross. With tears in her eyes, she placed her name on one of the nails and prayed.

I will never forget that moment. It did not matter what she looked like, or what others might think of her choice of clothing that day. What mattered was that she came before her crucified Lord and acknowledged that He died for her.

We may think that we are too dirty inside to come to the cross of Jesus. We may think that the cross is for really bad people, and we don't need to bow down before our crucified Lord. But Jesus died for everyone. He died for you and for me. We are all sinners. We need to confess our sins before Him and receive the forgiveness that He offers. God so loved the world; He so loves us that His act of selfless love will change our lives forever.

Attend the church of your choice today. Bow before the cross of Jesus Christ and experience the sacrifice and pain that He endured for your salvation.

    O come and mourn with me awhile;
    O come ye to the Saviour's side;
    O come, together let us mourn;
    Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
           – Frederick William Faber

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I lay my sins at the foot of Your cross. Forgive me and set me free to love and serve You. Amen.

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About the author:

David Hooper <theskypilot@pm.me>
Prescott, Ontario, Canada
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1 thought on “O Come And Mourn With Me Awhile”

  1. Thanks for the inspiration, David.

    Thank you, David. This is a good illustration for your message.

    Thank you, David, for such a meaningful devotional today. It is very special.

    THANK YOU
    (TX)

    Thank you, David, very moving indeed. Bless you,
    (BC)

    David;
    Thank you for this… after Good Friday, thankfully there is Happy Easter.

    Very inspiring words today. Thank you for serving God with your gift of writing. Good Friday is a time to be grateful for the sacrifice Jesus made on that cross.

    Thank you for such a deeply meaningful devotional and the humility it brought to me. I am unable to attend church today due to recent surgery, but my thoughts shall focus on my Lord.

    Good afternoon, Sir,
    Such good and appropriate words for today. Thank you for writing and I wish you and yours a blessed Easter. The Lord is risen!

    Your devotion is beautiful, I could barely read it with tears in my eyes. Thank you. Our church this morning is walking with the cross around the neighborhood, followed by a service at 11:00. God bless. (On.)

    Merci David for a superb devotional. The title from the hymn, O Come and Mourn With Me, tune St. Cross ?, recalls to my mind the feeling felt in the context of church in almost ineffable attempts to express gratitude to/for our Saviour.

    Thank you, David, for such a moving, powerful, and challenging message. I could identify with that organist and was right there with her (figuratively) as I read, adding my name to that cross.
    MANY Blessings to you!

    Good Friday.
    I am grateful for the powerful message of today’s Devotional shared by you with us.
    I declare that Jesus Christ suffered and died for my sins.
    Humbled and Somber.

    Thank you, David, for your very interesting and descriptive devotional today.
    Reading about the happenings in that Good Friday service were very appropriate actions to display feelings for what our loving Lord endured.
    Blessings for your writing today.

    Thank you – All have sinned and need this reassurance that Jesus sacrifice is for everyone – me too.

    Thank you for sharing this timely reminder to fall, sin sick and all, before the cross! Blessings.

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