“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture,said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:28-30).
Probably everyone has experienced the satisfaction of completing a difficult or complicated job. Over the course of my life, I have rebuilt several automobile engines. In each case, the engine was totally disassembled. All the various parts were cleaned and measured to see if they needed reconditioned or replaced. Then came the time for putting it all back together again. Tolerances were carefully checked and bolts were tightened to certain specifications. A coat of bright, new paint was applied and the engine was re-installed in the vehicle. Fluids were added, the timing was checked, and the moment of truth arrived. The time always came to turn the key and test the results of my work. While I always have a bit of apprehension regarding something I forgot or missed, it never ceases to give me a great sense of accomplishment when the engine fires up for the first time and rumbles to life.
As Jesus hung from the cross, He didn’t have the luxury of standing back and enjoying the fruits of His labor. But I believe the sense of accomplishment was certainly there. “It has been finished!” Done! Completed! Jesus’ sole focus on earth had been to accomplish what God sent Him to do (John 4:34; 5:36; 17:4; Luke 18:31). Yes, it had been a struggle. There had been many who opposed His efforts. But now, in the midst of His greatest pain, He could breathe His last, knowing that He had accomplished what He set out to do. Thank you, Jesus, for finishing the job!
God loves you!
Mike
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