“Jesus called out with a loud voice,
‘Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.’
When He had said this, he breathed His last.”
- Luke 23:46
This weekend is a highly significant weekend for the whole world. Whether they hold as significant or not does not determine the weight of this weekend. This weekend, we recognize the Messiah, the Savior of all, the one who bore our punishment, who ransomed us from death, who became flesh so our flesh may be reconciled to God. There is a whole list of ways to think about Christ’s death.
In some ways we mourn, for Jesus never should have had to do what He did. In some ways we mourn to move our hearts through the motions of that same weekend two thousand years ago. In some ways we can celebrate because we know how this story ends, in the resurrection. In some ways we can celebrate because we know His death means our salvation, our chance to reclaim and live into the plans God has always intended for the world. No matter how you prefer to look at this weekend, I want to focus on one line of the narrative.
As Jesus hangs there on the cross, body bent, broken, and bleeding. He says one last thing according to Luke. Jesus quotes Psalm 31:5 and says,
“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”
This is an announcement of faithfulness. Jesus has been faithful to the cross, to the Will of His Father. In these simple words, Jesus commits the end of His life to the Father, that His plan may be fulfilled in Christ, that Salvation may be realized. God has been faithful to humanity from the beginning, desiring the reconciliation between them. I think God always knew Jesus would have to die, but I think He always hoped we could be reconciled without His death but merely through faithfulness, our own sacrifice.
In this time of mourning and celebration let us think of His last words on the cross. I wonder what it would look like for us to utter the same words, whether you have no faith or have been faithful your whole life. I wonder as I sit here in between Good Friday and Easter, what if I pray, “Into Your hands, O Lord my God, I commit my spirit.” Jesus’ own death on the cross serves as an example to us about faithfulness. As He commits His spirit, He announces His faithfulness. What if this became our daily prayer?
Lord, into Your hands I commit my spirit.
To love, to serve, and to worship you today.
I thank you O Father, for sending Your Son to do what I never could, but now He has made me a way to You. As the cross as my example, I submit myself to You, O God.
Final Blessing:
On this highly significant weekend, may we express our faithfulness to God. I am so thankful to the Son who saw in humanity reason to humble and give of Himself. We are so undeserving of this grace and mercy, but now faithfulness is to charter the ways of our lives in the pattern Christ has set out for us. It is a way of redemption, of sacrifice and love.
Onto You O Lord, I commit my spirit.
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