"Every Day Can Be Friday"

by Pastor Ben Dolby

We all have that day we eagerly anticipate as our “Friday”. When I was a student, as young as five years old, my “Friday” was two things throughout the school day: recess and getting off the bus at home. First, for recess, any opportunity I had to organize a baseball, soccer, or football game with my friends was the best part of the week. Second, getting of the school bus and seeing my whole family together after the school day apart, was the best thrill for me.

“Friday” transforms into something different as we mature and age. Whatever day(s) of the week you are fortunate to lay down the burdens of earthly work, “Friday” has always stirred a desire in me for “a Friday with no more Monday.”

I long for the day after the “Mondays” of strife, anxiety, and labor poisoned with the toil of Genesis 3:17-19. I eagerly anticipate the “Friday” where the troubles of past days are finally no more.

Let me be clear, I am not longing for a silly, selfish, hedonistic idea of a lifetime of “Friday” as Jimmy Buffet, Kenney Chesney, or others may write a song to lament or long for. But as I am long for the joy of a perpetual “Friday” without a return to earthly toils, the Word of Jesus reveals something I often miss: Celebrating “Friday” in the midst of other days.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” – John 5:24-25

It is certainly true that the Resurrection of the Dead is something we eagerly anticipate in the future. There is nothing wrong with longing for that day where the hope of our present life will finally experience what all of Creation has been longing for: The Eighth Day of Creation when Christ returns and makes all things new.

There is another truth here from Jesus to comfort, inspire, and strengthen us: “Eternal life begins when a person comes to saving faith in Christ.” – p. 1789 Lutheran Study Bible

Every day has the capacity to be “Friday,” that is, a day filled with hope, thankfulness, and joy even in the midst of the afflictions we experience today.

The joy of Easter is not something we are forced to patiently wait to experience in the Eternal Life to come after Christ’s Second Advent. It is true that the experience of the Resurrection will be an incredible culmination of joy. But what a marvelous gift to realize, remember, or learn for the first time that the joy of Eternal Life has so much to enrich our life on earth with…today.

I pray that you will be comforted by the knowledge and joyful expectation of the Resurrection to come. I pray that this would strengthen and inspire you to go out and share the joy of “Friday” so the world can understand that Jesus desires to offer them this same hope for today and celebration in eternity. This is the gift of Easter. This is the gift of the Good News Jesus brings to us and to all through his blood upon the cross and his rising from the grave.

God bless you and keep you as you go out in the name of Jesus to share: Every day can be “Friday” because of what Jesus has accomplished for the sake of us all. Alleluia and Amen!

Monthly memory work: 

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. – 2 Corinthians 4:13-14

Prayer for the month: 

Almighty God the Father, through Jesus, your Son, you swallowed up Death forever and opened the gate to everlasting life to us. Give us wisdom to celebrate with joy the day and season of our Savior’s resurrection. Give us your Holy Spirit of wisdom to live out our witness in this present age so others may receive what we know and celebrate every day, Jesus is risen from the dead and through him we too will rise from death to life, forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Dolby