The Three Crosses, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1653

Good Friday.  Good for all the reasons it first appeared so bad. Love Lustres at Calvary, one of the Puritan prayers in the Valley of Vision (you ought to have a copy!), captures a sense of the paradox of the day.  Read the entire prayer at the Banner of Truth site. And ponder these few lines from the prayer and you consider Good Friday:

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.

Good Friday.  He entered darkness that I might have eternal light.