Devotional—It Is Finished

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 NIV

Jesus did everything the Father asked of him. In the midst of intense human suffering, he gave up his spirit in union with the Father — an act of faith and implicit trust. He did not hesitate. Instead, he surrendered himself into God’s care and courageously entered death for our sake.

We participate in Christ’s death. This participation invites us to reflect continually on what may need to die in us. There are seasons when we have completed what God has asked of us, and the time comes to move on.

At times, this means allowing relationships, jobs, or responsibilities to end so that new ones may begin. We may not know what lies ahead or how it will all unfold. But in Christ, we are invited to step forward into the new life God is opening before us.

How might Christ’s love, poured into you by the Spirit, be closing a door in your life? How might the Spirit be inviting you to enter a world of new possibilities and new relationships?

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for loving us all the way to the grave. Father, thank you for never abandoning your Son. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for raising Jesus, and us in him, to new life. Amen.

Adapted from the following resource: April 7, 2023 – Good Friday – GCI Equipper