Friday, April 7
Good Friday
Scripture: Luke 2
Luke 2:11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:21 At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:29–30 “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation…
Observation
It’s Good Friday when we remember Jesus’ sacrifice to save us…and our reading is the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus. But even here, at the beginning of Jesus’ life, we see the shadow of the Cross.
The angels announce Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, saying, “Today your Savior is born.”
Even His name, Jesus, which means “God saves” or “God to the rescue” pointed ahead to His saving sacrifice.
Simeon was promised to see the Lord’s salvation, and when he saw the infant Jesus, he recognized the fulfillment of God’s promise: “My eyes have seen Your salvation.”
Application
I have a fun and full day planned with friends…and yet I want to remember what Jesus did for me and live with a grateful heart all day. The chorus of one of our worship songs says, “All praise to the One who saved my life.” When we sing that, I think of how He saved my life—the trajectory I was on was destructive and dangerous. I’m so grateful He intercepted me and saved me. I’m living a blessed life, an abundant life because He saved me. And all that was made possible because of what Jesus did on Good Friday.
Prayer: Lord, I love You. THANK YOU for saving me! Thank you for giving Your life for me. Thank you for giving me this wonderful new life. I’m forever grateful. Help my life today be a song of praise to You for saving me.
More: Joshua 3-4, Romans 10