By Byron Day, BCM/D President and Pastor of Emmanuel Church, Laurel
There is a term that is used today to express joy and happiness. It is used to express excitement and enthusiasm. People use this term to convey the idea that it is now time to relax, rest, and rejoice. Moreover, they use it to communicate the idea that it is now time to cease from our labors, put away the troubles of the week and escape from the office, escape from the classroom, escape from the truck, and to escape from the boss. The expression is T.G.I.F.
This saying T.G.I.F. at one time had the meaning Thank God It’s Friday. In times past its intended idea was thank God for bringing me through another week. It stood for thank God for allowing me to be healthy, it stood for thank God for keeping me safe, for providing food, clothing, and shelter. T.G.I.F. used to signify thank God for His many blessings.
T.G.I.F. was a God-honoring term. It recognized that God was the reason for our existence. It gave glory to God and acknowledged God’s right to rule in our lives. It acknowledged His sovereignty and majesty and it demonstrated man’s reliance and dependence on God. TG.I.F. was once a God-honoring term. But like so many other things the world has taken God out of T.G.I.F. to Thank Goodness It’s Friday. T.G.I.F. is no longer a God honoring term, but a God ignoring term.
There is however, a Friday for which I am eternally grateful. A Friday that occurred about 2000 years ago. For me, what has traditionally come to be known as Good Friday along with Resurrection Sunday is my favorite time of year. Not only is there the beginning of the Spring season which reminds us of the new life we have in Christ but also the blessed hope of our own resurrection. Good Friday was a great Friday, and I always get excited, joyful and glad during this time of the year. I thank God for that Good Friday because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through his blood I have the forgiveness of sin, because of Good Friday I have peace with God.
What a great time for Maryland/Delaware Baptists to remember God’s grace towards us all. Regardless of the economic conditions or other life challenges we face, we can all say thank God for that Good Friday. We can all join in with the songwriter who wrote:
At the cross at the cross
Where I first saw the light
And the burden of my sin rolled away
It was there by faith I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day.