"Nailed to the cross on a Friday....How is that Good?"

Came across this banner outside Dhoby Ghaut MRT station few weeks ago with this intriguing question, "Nailed to the cross on a Friday....How is that Good?"

As Good Friday draws near, was reflecting on this passage from Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV), "5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Resonating with C. K. Barrett who asserts, "… We can never be content with a god who wound up this watch of a universe and left it to tick. We need a God who wrestles with rebellion and overcomes resistance with love, a God who speaks in language that we can understand, because we see him in one who would rather be the friend of sinners and die than give them up and live."

And because of this, we know that victory came from this very act at the cross more than 2000 years ago. With the story concluded, "He is Risen" on Easter Sunday we can see the "good" that came out of this "solemn" day, which changed the world for eternity.

Divine encouragements!

God sure knows how to sent his people to encourage one another in this community of faith. A church member that I met just once few years ago, just came up to me randomly in a cafe where I was studying telling me that, "I have been praying for you, I am one of those who prays for our theological students from the prayer updates in our weekly church bulletin!".