It is Finished

Three of my favorite words ever spoken are those of Jesus on the cross "It is finished." Of course, he still clearly had to rise again, the Holy Spirit to be sent, a whole lot of human history yet to be played out, etc. But Jesus recognized at that moment that the plan of redemption that had been set in motion long before his birth--indeed, immediately following the fall--had reached its pinnacle. God became fully man and experienced all the temptations and struggles that the people he so lovingly created faced on a daily basis. But unlike his beloved but broken creation, he never sinned--not once. What made his perfection so incredibly miraculous was that he was in every sense fully human yet unlike us, he remained fully dependent on the Lord. That utter obedience led him to beatings, betrayal and death. But ultimately, that perfect obedience brought about so much more. Jesus' obedience resulted in his temporary death, but it also ushered in life for all humanity. Did you catch that? His obedience temporarily brought about his death, but permanently brought about life for all humankind. What incredible trust this must have required of Jesus--perfect trust. This is the kind of trust I desire. I want to know with every fiber in my being that to obey will ultimately bring about life. I want to trust my Father. I want so much more than the ashes I am eating.