How must the Pharisees and leaders have felt when they heard Jesus saying his dying words.  Finally they had got this man out of their hair.  What celebrations they must have had.  Little did they know what was to come.  What about those closest to him and all his followers.  How confused and bewildered they must have felt.  How devastated and lost.  It’s difficult for us to know how they felt because we know the rest of the story.  And how should we feel?  How can we ever thank Jesus enough for going through such an unbelievably painful and humiliating death to save us?

I have recently posted a poem - “Good Friday” - on a writers’ website.  The link is http://www.writersintouch.com/article_view.php?articleid=5851 for those who are interested.

On the cross almost everything Jesus said was a quotation. Nothing shows more powerfully the way in which the scriptures can furnish a script for us - words which we learn to inhabit in life and death.

in school this week, I did a passion play which reflected on Luke 23.46. it was superb. and I remember reading out those same words and den after I said with that he died . it was so sad.

A dying man, wracked by thirst, his bones pulled out of joint, his blood seeping away through wounds held gaping by the nails, his mind tormented by unaccustomed loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
A dying man, God-forsaken, his whole being now as bound by earthly dimension as his body nailed to the cross, summons each unspent ounce of strength and faith to cry out aloud his last prayer.
And then, even as death completes his work, his victory over Death is complete.

May we thank God for His love for us all, and for all who have touched our lives, in any way, wherever they are. Amen.

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
    be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

Amen

I hope and pray that everyone who reads this will be able to say these words: ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’, and believe in them, before they die.

This will be my last post, because we are off to the Celebrate conference in Ilfracombe today, so many thanks to St Albans and to all the contributers who have made this Lent challenge such a great and rewarding success.

Alan