I attended a Good Friday service at Trinity Baptist, Norman last night and really enjoyed the service. It included some public worship singing, a series of scripture readings, and several choir anthems. I had not been in the habit, as a pastor, of having Good Friday services, although Friday night I wondered why. I guess we live and learn! If I return to the pastorate I think I would seriously consider doing something like that.

One personal tradition I have observed over the years on what we call “Easter weekend” has to do with the song, “Up From The Grave He Arose.”

Beginning on Good Friday, about the time Christ died, I will begin to hum the first verse of the old hymn: “Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior; waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord …”. But I stop the song there; I do not finish it with the chorus. I continue to hum just those first couple phrases, throughout the rest of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, observing the time that Jesus was in the grave. Not until Sunday morning, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, do I complete the song by singing:

“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior; waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!”