I attended a Good Friday service this evening. It used to be that these services were at noon on Friday, and businesses closed or let employees off to attend. Some still do; that is, allow people to attend services during the day, but many churches have gone to an evening service.

There was no preaching tonight, simply the contemplation of God's love pouring out for us, sinners as we are. We sang a couple of contemporary songs, but most were the old hymns that I learned as a child. I love to be able to sing without having to look at the words. The song below is one that we sang. I found the words here, and in reading the verses, found a couple that I have never seen in a hymn book.

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where Heaven’s love and Heaven’s justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Savior’s cross to me, a ladder up to heaven.

There lies beneath its shadow but on the further side
The darkness of an awful grave that gapes both deep and wide
And there between us stands the cross two arms outstretched to save
A watchman set to guard the way from that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears ,two wonders I confess;
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by - to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

I read today in several posts "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming." Hallelujah!