When you start something, don’t you want to say in your mind, “I did it!” Don’t you want someone to congratulate you and say, “Well done!” What goes into finishing something? You said it, “A lot.” What was the project? What was it about? How long did it take for you to finish it? What gave you the initiative and the commitment to finish it? Who motivated you? Who gave you the support and encouragement? Doesn’t it make you feel good and accomplished! Even the pain and anxiety you experienced during the process of reaching the finish line seems to vanish, because “I won.” “I win.” Think about Jesus, the persecution He experienced, the shame they put Him through. But, He was unrelenting in His mission. Why? Because He gave His own life voluntarily in obedience to The Father so that we all might inherit eternal life. Wow! What a gift! Nobody does it better. Nobody does it more completely. Nobody can be compared to His Excellence! His perfection! His omniscience and omnipresence! His eternality! Nobody. All the religions and their false claims are no match, no equality to The Master. Let’s look deeper into this: “It is Finished.” So, what is finished? What did He do?
He laid out the roadmap of what we need to do to be saved. He secured our eternal life for those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that Jesus Christ stepped out from His heavenly abode and walked among common, ordinary people so that we could have a physical representation of God Himself. He finished not having to go to somebody more holy than you. He opened up the spiritual pathway so that you can go in prayer all by yourself to God Almighty. That’s right. On the cross, “He was patient and silent, not yelling out or cussing people out. No. He was divinely resolved to what He had to accomplish. He is the originator of this statement: “It is Finished.” The sufferings and agonies in redeeming man are over. The work long contemplated, long promised, long expected by prophets and saints, is done; the pangs and mockeries in the garden and man is redeemed! What a wonderful declaration was this!
How full of consolation to man!” (Barnes Commentary notes) Those who believe can say, “I have entered into His rest.” By faith.
Believers who faithfully walk with Our Savior can proclaim, “I have entered into His rest.” All things are finished. Here’s the point. You cannot enjoy the blessings of The Father if you do not believe, if you do not have faith, you cannot enter into His rest. Adhere unswervingly to “the faith.” Don’t turn back. Don’t turn away. Even from the Old Testament, God declares He had finished creation and it was all good. So, why are you sweating it? Everything is already packed up in God’s creation and in His Son. It’s all done. Look for supernatural, miraculous developments! You just keep on praying, keep on walking with the Lord, keep on examining yourself for secret faults to be cleansed of them, keep on purging yourself of negative thinking. Walk straight every day, every minute of the day.
Present yourself a holy sacrifice to The Lord so we may be used for His glory, not ours. If it is for ours, that’s vain glory and doesn’t count as anything and will be laid up in your account as nothing and won’t count.
Thank you for reading! Happy New Year!!!
Ask Dr. Jeanette Parkertm Ask Dr. Jeanettetm www.AskDrJeanetteParker.com; Articles copyright © “Inquiring Minds Want To Know” Jeanette Parker is Founder/Superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School www.todaysfreshstart.org [email protected] thanks for reading!
