Dear Disciple,
Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30
Your Master did it. He did what no one had ever done before Him or has ever done since. He did everything He was called to do in His mortal earthly life. He completed the work His Father gave Him to do for all of those thirty-three(ish) years. It would be a mistake to think that Jesus said the words, “It is finished,” meaning that all of His or the Father’s work was entirely complete. Far from it. As John noted in verse 28, all that had to be done to fulfill the prophecies of Scripture about His mortal ministry was completed. It was time for Him to rest, so He gave up His Spirit, entrusting Himself to the hands of His Father (see Luke 23:46), but He would get back to the new creation work in a very little while.
It was a tender mercy of the Father that our Master died so early in the crucifixion process. The six hours He spent hanging there were more agonizing than He deserved, to be sure, but compared to the common timespan involved, it was mercifully cut short. The Father had not abandoned His beloved, and He was there to grant Him relief from His terrible suffering. Isn’t it warming to consider the deep love shared between Father and Son in all things? Our Master endured all for the love of the Father, and the Father was vigilantly present to care for His Son in the midst of His trial.
What work does your Father have for you to do today, Disciple? You can’t do your whole life’s work right now (and you don’t even know what it all is yet). You can, however, seek to understand what today’s work is and set your face towards it with His ever-available partnership. To whom are you called to show mercy and offer encouragement? What temptation are you meant to face and overcome? What knowledge of God and His kingdom are you going to gain through study, meditation, and conversation? What will you work through with God in prayer as you partner with Him in your own development and in the work He’s doing in the world around you?
As you reflect on your Master’s example, may you be encouraged with the remembrance that, while your Father is calling you to do what is demanding and costly, He is also always near you and acting with you. He is quick to show you tender mercy just as He did to Jesus. As a child of God, you are brought into His mission and His mercy, His work and His grace. May you know the full joy of this full partnership!
Pursuing today’s kingdom work with you,
Ryan
