A Prayer of Comfort for Good Friday - Your Daily Prayer - April 3
Your Daily Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Lynette Kittle, Crosswalk.com
A Prayer of Comfort for Good Friday
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” - Philippians 2:6-8
Listen or Read Below:
Although we sing songs like “The Wonderful Cross,” it did not seem wonderful at the time to Jesus’ family, followers, and friends who watched Him suffer and die such a public death, enduring humiliation for all to see.
Great sorrow, distress, and fear filled their souls because, unlike us, they did not yet know the glorious outcome of His suffering. They did not have the comfort of knowing Resurrection Sunday was coming… that all was not lost.
We, however, have the comfort, hope, and assurance of knowing that because of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, those who die believing in Him will also live. As Romans 6:8 explains, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.”
Jesus’ Suffering Begins
Jesus’ suffering began in the garden, a quiet, tranquil location where He prayed, seeking God the Father’s will for His life. Agonizing, His body was under enormous stress—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
His suffering started before being hung on the cross, as He looked towards His coming death and all He would endure. As Matthew 26:39 describes, “Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”
In Matthew 26:42, Jesus asked God again, “He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’”
Luke 22:44 gives even more detail about the depth of Jesus’ suffering as He prayed: “And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
After Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested in the garden, Matthew 26:59–60 describes what happened next—His silent suffering before the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem:
“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’”
Following Jesus’ appearance before the high priest and the Roman governor Pilate, He was led away to be crucified, enduring even more suffering. Matthew 27:27-31 describes how Jesus was stripped, mocked, spit upon, and struck:
“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.”
Jesus Surrenders His Spirit
Matthew 27:45-46 tells us that Jesus hung on the cross from noon until three in the afternoon, when darkness came over all the land. Then He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”
After being offered sour wine vinegar to drink, John 19:30 records, “When Jesus had tasted it, He said, ‘It is finished!’ Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
Jesus’ final words say it all. The penalty for sin was paid through His suffering and perfect sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews 10:10 reveals the source of our comfort on Good Friday: “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
We receive the comfort You give us through Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, as 2 Corinthians 4:10 proclaims, we, “Always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
Soften our hearts today with Your compassion for those who do not yet know You. Lead us to share Your comfort with them, telling them how Jesus suffered on our behalf and gave up His spirit so that we might be resurrected with Him.
Like Jesus, help us daily and humbly yield to Your will. Teach us to trust Your leadership, knowing that Your way always leads to life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/artplus
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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