It is finished

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19 v 30

This morning I heard these word sung in a worship song and it hit home once again, this is it, there is nothing more to be done, Jesus has done it is all, it is finished.

I don’t know what you are struggling with this morning, I have a pain in my jaw from a tooth extraction, I have pain in my ankle from a breakage that cannot be fixed and I have pain in side from a successful operation to remove my prostrate and free me from the pain of a cancerous growth inside of me. In Jesus’ statement he is not dismissing my pain, my worries about the future, my regrets of past concerns, my wish to be a better husband or father, to work harder, to rest better and to be an example, he doesn’t dismiss any of this. What he says to me is, “I have done it all, I have conquered death and given you a place in heaven. I know this will be difficult to accept because you will want to do something yourself, but you don’t need to. Commit to me 1% and I will commit to you 100%. The race is done.”

It is an exciting statement and I can feel my heart racing as I read it again. I know this statement is true, I have lived it with Jesus over the last 35 years and I know it to be true as Jesus has healed me over the years and taught me and encouraged me and occasionally rebuked me, but someone who is desperate for affirmation from a loving Father, I find it through a loving Saviour in Jesus and I find confirmation in Jesus’ words on the cross, “it is done.”