Sunday

Are you having a blue day?  Things feeling a little rough?  It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming.

Wait a second.  Don’t we spend all week in eager anticipation of Friday as the beginning of the weekend?  Why say that it’s Friday, but Sunday is coming when a tough week may finally be at an end?  Thinking about starting another week may be about the last thing you want to do right now.

Near the end of this journey through Lent, we will experience a Friday that, while it was occurring, seemed like the darkest day for all of mankind, in all of history.  Jesus Christ, Messiah, was tortured, died and was buried on a Friday.  We say “Thank God It’s Friday!” in a way that is about an ending.  But, as we know, Friday is just the beginning.

In John 10:10, Jesus tells us, “…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  He is not saying that life won’t be full of trials and tribulations; life will be hard at times.  But, a life in Christ is not a life of scarcity or timidity.  A life in Christ is one of abundance.

We can spend so much of our time focused on the challenges in front of us, or the persecution we experience.  These things, which are short term, can take our eyes off the big picture of how amazing our lives are.  “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).  One of my very favorites!

One of the earliest Contemporary Christian songs that I came to know and love is an oldie but a goody from a band called Tree63 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeBBLmFNRtM).  The message of this song is that no matter how bleak things may seem, God has great things in store for us.

“Nothing’s sacred, the days are cheap
Truth is thin on the ground
Still our prophets are crucified
Nobody believes we’re stumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming 

Someone’s saying a prayer tonight
For hungry mouths to be filled
Someone kneels in the dark somewhere
And darkness is already crumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming! 

Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away
Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away”

I know we’re not “supposed” to say the “H” word in that chorus above while we are observing Lent.  But, it is important to remember that this word will return to our vocabulary and worship eventually, and that should give us hope during the rough spots. I love the image of a person, kneeling in prayer, as the catalyst for darkness and hard times to move aside, letting the Light in.

So, maybe we should think about “Thank God It’s Friday!” in a different way.

Hang in there.  It’s Friday but Sunday is coming!