Isn’t it
exciting to finish an enormous task?
When you complete a job to perfection don’t you want to rejoice and
share your joy with others? Finishing a
hard job brings a sense of satisfaction.
It’s only natural that a person would want to celebrate.
However,
there come other times when the task has been difficult and plagued by many
setbacks and disappointments. In this
case, the end of the project is welcomed with a sigh of relief. Most people just want to sit back, get
comfortable, and enjoy a moment of rest and relaxation. Satisfaction comes from knowing that you did
your best.
This second
example is what I understand to be the case with Jesus when He uttered those
famous words from the cross: “It
is finished” (John 19:30). After
saying these words (only 1 word in the original language), He drifted away into
eternity. No excitement. No parades.
No trophies. No celebration. An earthquake, yes. A torn veil, yes. Dead bodies walking around, yes. But no dancing in the streets. Only Satan and his forces were having fun.
Yet three
days later . . . He’s alive! He did
it! Satan and his forces are
destroyed! So let the festivities begin!
The
disciples came to life. Their leader had
risen from the dead, never more to die!
The promise of doing the same for them offered renewed hope. They weren’t the same bunch of guys. Jesus brought salvation/rescue from sin; a
real cause for celebrating.
How is it,
then, that many Christians aren’t “jumping for joy” and celebrating? I wonder.
Jesus took our place and bore our punishment and shame so that we could
go free and live an abundant life. This
was His reason for coming and He did it to perfection (John 17:4). Shouldn’t His disciples be rejoicing?
We need to
be happy that God has offered salvation to anyone who by faith puts on Christ
(Galatians 3:27). So feel the
relief. Share it with someone. As a man stuck in a dark, smelly dungeon once
said, “Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!”
(Philippians 4:4).
Doug
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