(photo taken by me at the Art Gallery of Ontario this past February, 2020.)One of my favorite ways to learn is visually. I love to go to museums & art galleries, take webinars and to read for that very reason.
This piece at the Art Gallery of Ontario entitled “Crucified Christ (Corpus)” was cast in bronze by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini around 1650. This photo I took is striking, but seeing it up close brought home why Good Friday has been referred to as good.
Although there is great pain and strain visible to Jesus, his face is remarkably calm. He knows where He is going, and what is going to happen on the other side of these final moments.
How do I know this?
- The Bible tells us that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus agreed to His Father’s plan (Luke 22).
- As the Bible also reminds us in Romans 8:28 that God works every detail of our lives for our good, why wouldn’t this apply to His own Son?
- As God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one, Jesus would have known the results which would follow His obedience. And that thought reminds me that even though sorrow is up ahead, joy is coming on the other side.
So today, sit and look at the King who willingly laid down His life for each of us, for you, on the cross. Cry at the agony He endured by choosing to carry all your wrongdoing. Sit with Him in His sorrow. Don’t pass His sacrifice by without first taking it in.
Then take a closer look at the cloth around His waist. See how the cloth seems to be in motion on the right? A fresh wind is starting to blow. Time is about to be turned on its head. A new way is coming soon.
Good Friday is called good, because God in His goodness took the necessary steps to release good news for all. The countdown is about to begin with His final breath, and the ripping of the Veil between humanity and the Holy of Holies.
Resurrection is coming.
#goodfriday #comeandbe #howHelovesus #thecountdown #hopefortheharddays #goodnewsupahead
KARLA LEES 