Jesus Christ - Six Hours One Friday

S IX
HOURS
ONE
F RIDAY

ALSO BY MAX LUCADO

INSPIRATIONAL

3:16

A Gentle Thunder

A Love Worth Giving

And the Angels Were Silent

Come Thirsty

Cure for the Common Life

God Came Near

Gods Story, Your Story

Grace

Great Day Every Day

Facing Your Giants

Fearless

He Chose the Nails

He Still Moves Stones

In the Eye of the Storm

In the Grip of Grace

Its Not About Me

Just Like Jesus

Max on Life

Next Door Savior

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

On the Anvil

Outlive Your Life

The Applause of Heaven

The Great House of God

Traveling Light

When Christ Comes

When God Whispers Your Name

FICTION

Christmas Stories

BIBLES (GENERAL EDITOR)

Grace for the Moment Daily Bible

The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible

Childrens Daily Devotional Bible

CHILDRENS BOOKS

A Max Lucado Childrens Treasury

Do You Know I Love You, God?

Grace for the Moment: 365

Devotions for Kids

God Forgives Me, and I Forgive You

God Listens When I Pray

Hermie, a Common Caterpillar

Just in Case You Ever Wonder

One Hand, Two Hands

The Crippled Lamb

The Oak Inside the Acorn

The Tallest of Smalls

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me

Thank You, God, for Loving Me

You Are Mine

You Are Special

YOUNG ADULT BOOKS

3:16

Its Not About Me

Make Every Day Count

You Were Made to Make a Difference

Wild Grace

GIFT BOOKS

Fear Not Promise Book

For These Tough Times

God Thinks Youre Wonderful

Grace for the Moment

Grace for the Moment Morning

and Evening

Grace Happens Here

His Name Is Jesus

Let the Journey Begin

Live Loved

Mocha with Max

One Incredible Moment

Safe in the Shepherds Arms

This Is Love

You Changed My Life

1989, 2004 Max Lucado

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture references marked TLB are from The Living Bible, 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Ill. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked JERUSALEM BIBLE are from The Jerusalem Bible, 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd., and Doubleday Co., Inc.

ISBN 978-0-8499-4744-5 (Trade paper repack)

ISBN 978-0-8499-4630-1 (SE)

ISBN 978-0-8499-2129-2 (Special Edition)

The Library of Congress has cataloged the earlier edition as follows:

Lucado, Max.

Six hours one Friday / by Max Lucado.

p. cm.

Originally published: Portland, Or. : Multnomah, 1989.

ISBN 978-0-8499-0857-6 (trade paper)

ISBN 978-0-8499-1816-2 (hardcover)

1. Jesus ChristPassionMeditations. I Title.

BT431.3.L86 2004 232.96dc22

2003022809

Printed in the United States of America

12 13 14 15 16 17 QG 6 5 4 3 2 1

for Jacquelyn, Joan, and Dee from your baby brother

CONTENTS

19. The Final Glance

T his book was begun on one side of the equator and finished on the other. Ive got people to thank in both places.

To the Christians in Rio de Janeiro, BrazilThanks for five thrilling years. Obrigado por tudo!

To the Christians at Oak HillsYour faith and devotion are inspiring.

To Jim Toombs, Mike Cope, Rubel Shelly, Randy Mayeux, and Jim WoodroofI appreciate the warm words and good advice.

To Ron BaileyYou gave the right counsel at the right time. Thanks.

To my relentless editor, Liz HeaneyI dont know how you do it, but you have a way of turning coal into diamonds.

To my secretary, Mary StainWhat would we do without you at the helm? Thanks for typing and typing and typing and...

To Marcelle Le Gallo and Kathleen McCleeryThank you for doing Marys work so she could do mine.

And a special thanks to my wife, DenalynYou make coming home the highlight of my day.

L abor Day weekend, 1979. Throughout the nation people were enjoying their last waltz with summertime. Weekend reunions, camping trips, picnics.

Except in Miami.

While the rest of the nation played, the Gold Coast of south Florida watched. Hurricane David was whirling through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of flooded islands and homeless people.

Floridians dont have to be told to duck when a hurricane is on the warpath. Windows were taped up, canned goods were bought, flashlights were tested. David was about to pounce.

On the Miami River a group of single guys was trying to figure out the best way to protect their houseboat. Not that it was much of a vessel. It was, at best, a rustic cabin on a leaky barge. But it was home. And if they didnt do something, their home was going to be at the bottom of the river.

None of the fellows had ever lived on a boat before, much less weathered a hurricane. Any sailor worth his salt would have had a good laugh watching those landlubbers.

It was like a McHales Navy rerun. They bought enough rope to tie up the Queen Mary. They had their boat tied to trees, tied to moorings, tied to herself. When they were through, the little craft looked as if shed been caught in a spiders web. They were so busy tying her to everything, its a wonder one of the guys didnt get tied up.

How was I privy to such a fiasco? You guessed it. The houseboat was mine.

Dont ask what I was doing with a houseboat. Part adventure and part bargain, I guess. But that Labor Day weekend was more adventure than Id bargained for. I had owned the boat for three monthly payments, and now I was about to have to sacrifice her to the hurricane! I was desperate. Tie her down! was all I could think.

I was reaching the end of my rope, in more ways than one, when Phil showed up. Now Phil knew boats. He even looked boat-wise.

He was born wearing a suntan and dock-siders. He spoke the lingo and knew the knots. He also knew hurricanes. Word on the river had it that he had ridden one out for three days in a ten-foot sailboat. The stories Id heard made him a living legend.

He felt sorry for us, so he came to give some advice... and it was sailor-sound. Tie her to land, and youll regret it. Those trees are gonna get eaten by the cane. Your only hope is to anchor deep, he said. Place four anchors in four different locations, leave the rope slack, and pray for the best.