it is finished

     “It is finished.”  Jesus’ final words.  And what incredible words they are!  “It is finished” means that the entire reason Jesus came to earth has been fulfilled—his mission has been accomplished.  There is nothing else that needs to be done.  Jesus has taken care of it all.  All of our sin has been paid for in its entirety: past, present, and future.  All of our punishment, every single ounce, has been placed upon him at the cross.  “It is finished” means that we are totally justified—clean, holy, and free.  “It is finished” means that our sin is taken away, we may go in peace.

     But “It is finished” also means so much more than that.  Because “It is finished” is not just about what God has taken away, but also about what he has given us.  Jesus not only takes all of our mess—our sin, our brokenness, our death—upon himself, but he also gives us all that is his to give.  He gives us his righteousness, he gives us his holiness, and he gives us his peace.  He also gives us all of the love and affection of the Father.  He gives us his inheritance, he gives us his place in the family of God, and he gives us the right to become God’s beloved sons and daughters.  So “It is finished” not only says “you may go, your sin is taken away,” but it also says, “you may come and enjoy all of the intimacy of the Godhead.”  Because of the cross, this is now what God says to us: My child, my delight, the joy of my heart, I wish you knew yourself the way I know you.  I wish you saw yourself the way that I see you.  And I wish that, deep down in your heart, you knew the truth that, because of the cross, all I have is yours and all you have is mine.  Knowing this one truth at your very core will change everything about you.  Now, all of my love is yours, all of my affection is yours, and all of my delight is yours.  In fact, you have completely captured my heart.  And not only that, but you also have all of my righteousness, all of my holiness, and all of my purity.  Everything I have belongs to you.
     And all that you have is mine.  Your joys are mine and your wounds are mine, your strengths are mine and your weaknesses are mine, your gifts are mine and your inadequacies are mine; so are your insecurities, your anxieties, your fears, your struggles, your burdens, yes, and even your sin—all mine.  Come to me, my child, with all that you are, and let me give you all that I am in return.  Be mine.

 

(This is from my book Being with Jesus.  You can order it here if you are interested)

 

Have a great Easter...He is Risen!  He is Risen indeed!!!