Little Billy did not even let his father perch on the
edge of his bed before the questions started flowing.
Tonight, the Close-My-Eyes story concerned Little Billy. His father, Big Bill, could
see it written all over his little face.
"Why do they even call it Good Friday," said Little Billy., with a puzzled
look. "What was so good about it? They made Jesus suffer. They killed
him. What was so good about that?"
Big Bill took a deep breath, he paused to gather his thoughts. He know this was an
important answer and one Little Billy really wanted to hear.
"What they did was not good," Big Bill began, "But what resulted was
excellent."
"If they had not crucified Jesus," he continued, "We still would be
living with no possible way of getting rid of our sin. Jesus suffered but he
suffered intentionally for us. He went to the cross because he loved us so
much."
"That must have been lonely," Little Billy thought out loud.
"It was Billy," his father said. "Jesus even went for quiet prayer in
the garden to ask His Father in Heaven is this what He really had to do. It was and
He knew it.
"His friends, the disciples could not even stay awake to keep him company in his time
of sorrow. It was lonely Billy," his father said.
"Peter, who always was there for Jesus even failed Him in the end. He fought
for Jesus when Jesus was arrested, Peter even cut a man's ear off defending Jesus.
Jesus put the man's ear back on and told Peter to put down His sword.
"But when Peter went to see Jesus tried, Peter denied that He even knew Jesus.
Peter was afraid they might decide to hurt him too. Three times He denied
Jesus," Big Bill explained.
"After all he did for everybody, they turned their backs on Jesus,"
said Little Billy, a sad look covering his face.
"The rulers tried to get out of trying Jesus, they said Jesus had not done
anything wrong. But some of the Jewish leaders said they wanted Jesus tried because
they claimed Jesus said He was the son of God," Billy's father continued.
"Jesus was turned over to them and they did crucify him."
"Remember all the people who cheered for Jesus when he came riding into town on a
donkey," Big Bill asked Little Billy.
"Of course, they were all saying Hosanna," Billy replied.
"They were given a choice. They could either free Jesus or a condemned murder
who was in jail. They asked that the murderer be released," Big Bill
said.
"Jesus had to carry His own cross to his place of execution. Then Jesus was
hung on the cross between two thieves, who also were being crucified. One thief
mocked Jesus but the other one believed on Him and Jesus said that thief would be
with him in Heaven that day."
"Jesus saw His mother, Mary out there watching Him being crucified. He asked
His disciple John, who also was there, to watch out for Mary just like she was John's real
mother.," Big Bill said.
"Did Jesus say a lot while He was on the cross," Little Billy asked.
" Not a whole lot," his Dad explained. "It was hard to breath when
you were nailed to a cross. And Jesus did not have all that much to say, He already
knew what His father expected and what He expected of himself."
"Even at the end Jesus asked His father to forgive everyone for they did not know
what they were doing to Him," Big Billy said.
"He was in pain and dying and Jesus still was forgiving people," Little
Billy said. "I still am not sure about it being a good Friday but He sure was a good
Jesus."
His Dad continued the story, "when Jesus died, they were allowed to take His body
down from the cross. One of his followers let them put Jesus' body in the grave he
has planned to use himself some day. So they laid Jesus in a borrowed grave
and rolled a stone in front of its opening. They were afraid someone might come and
try to steal Jesus' body."
"Daddy, when Jesus was hanging on the cross and He asked His Father to forgive
everybody, did Jesus mean you and me too," Little Billy questioned.
"Yes, Jesus definitely meant us too. And by dying, Jesus became the sacrifice,
the only sacrifice we would need to free our lives of sin. He died so we all could
be forgiven."
"I don't like the idea of Jesus having to go through all of that pain, but I am glad
Jesus fixed it so we could be forgiven. Now that I think about it, maybe it was a
Good Friday after all!"
"I think it was good that someone loved us so much that they would give their life so
we could live," his father explained. "It took a lot of love to get Jesus
on the cross."
"I know it would hurt," Little Billy said, "But I would let them put me on
a cross if it would save you and mommy."
Big Bill could do nothing but hug Little Billy. There were no words to express what
he was feeling at that moment.
" I know you would son, and your mother and I would do the same for you. That
is what is good about Good Friday. Love outweighed pain and because it did, the door
was opened for our salvation."
"Thank you Jesus for going up on that cross for me," little Billy prayed
in his earnest manner. "Thank you for loving me so much that you made a bad Friday
Good."
Little Billy felt drained and He never even heard his father leave the room that night.
He feel asleep thinking about how much Jesus must have loved him.
