Why Do We Call It Good Friday?

All four of the Gospels give us information on the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have often found it interesting that only two of them give an account of His birth, though when you consider the writers and their target audiences, you understand why. None of them tell us when He was born, just that He was. While they all let us know that He arose on Sunday, the first day of the week, there has always been some discussion as to whether He was crucified on Weds, Thurs, or Friday. For many years, most have accepted that Friday was the day that He offered Himself as the sacrificial lamb, slain for the sins of all mankind. As a result, it has been called "Good Friday". Like so many other things in life it just depends upon how you look at it. For us to look at Jesus dying, unmercifully on the cross and to hear Him cry out "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?", it doesn't seem like it was a very good day. But, Heb 12:2 tells us that "...Who, for the joy that was before Him, endured the cross...". When you consider that this plan of salvation for man was already laid out before the foundations of the world (I Peter 1:18-20) and Omniscient God, Jesus Christ, knew what He was going to have to endure, it makes it all the more amazing just how much He loved you and me. Maybe it shouldn't be called Good Friday, but rather "Great Friday". Of course, it isn't good at all if you ignore it and stand in judgement some day.