Jesus has died.

Slowly. Agonizingly.

Dead.

His disciples are scattered and it looks like the story is over. How their hearts must have broken. How bewildered and frightened they must have been.

People often ask me why it’s called Good Friday…so much bad happened, after all.

But remember Isaiah?

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 NIV

By his wounds we are healed. We are healed. Healed. Made new. Forgiven. Free. Whole.

That’s good. That’s what this Friday accomplished. That’s what Jesus chose to do. To die, to suffer, to be mocked and scorned.

Because there simply were no lengths that God’s love would not go to, to give us new and eternal life.

That’s very, very good.

That’s Good Friday.