HAPPY EARTH DAY AND GOOD FRIDAY, TOO

I knew about irony from high school. I also read and understood satire then somewhat. But it wasn't until junior college that John Traver stressed both and made them clear to me.

I've blogged before about his class, The Tiger's Den, as he liked to call it. He had a profound influence on my becoming an English teacher. And I'm sure that if anyone would see the profound irony of Earth Day and Good Friday sharing the same date this year, it would be Tiger Jack Traver.

First, we start with the ironic Good Friday. The duality of it. Of course, it was not so good for Jesus because for the only time in His life, He was separated from the Father. The intense pain that He felt exceeded that of any mortal. Yet as God/ Man, He endured for us. He died for our atonement for sin. He took our place(s). Because, as we all sin, a blood sacrifice was called for for purification. It was His blood that healed us, that sealed us for eternity. He came from Heaven to Earth (the original Earth Day, I'd say) to save us and to serve us. And ultimately to die for us.

That's the goodness of Good Friday. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior and believe by faith that He was the only Son of God who was crucified and rose from the dead three days later, then we are saved. The slate is wiped clean for our past, present and future sins for what happened on the Good Friday.

So Jesus came to Earth for us. Many who haven't chosen to follow Him will celebrate Earth Day today. An Earth that is decaying and dying and temporary. An Earth created by God, and violated by man. So once again, far too many celebrate the creation and ignore the Creator.

There will be celebration today. Gatherings. While I would not discourage any from taking part in Earth Day activities (I went to the very first one when I was a junior in college), I'd encourage all to attend a Good Friday worship service at church. It's something I wouldn't think of missing. A somber service, but one that is celebrated on Sunday like no other date in all of history--the resurrection of a living Lord.

He is risen!

He is risen, indeed!