Black Friday

November 24, 2007

Yesterday, the United States celebrated what we call black Friday. Anyone who works in retail knows why we call it that. The Friday after Thanksgiving is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping rush. We celebrate the gift of God giving us Jesus' birth, by going out and spending money we do not have to give gifts to people. I guess that is a good thing. I mean, giving the gifts and all. By giving gifts to others, we show that we appreciate them.

There was another black Friday years ago. It also has to do with Jesus.

Mark 15:33-34 KJV
(33) And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
(34) And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Jesus had blackness engulf Him both spiritually and physically that day. We tend to look at the gift of Jesus as the little baby in the manger. In reality, the true gift comes at Easter. That is when the gift took place, the gift of eternal life.

Take some time as you rush through these hectic Holiday times to reflect on the other black Friday.