It is finished

"After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 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

After months or even years of training, there is perhaps no greater feeling than crossing the finish line after a hard and grueling race being able to declare that it's done, finished. Can you imagine how Jesus must have felt on that "Good Friday" two thousand years ago then? Years of teaching and serving the Lord had led him to this day, the day he would be tried, convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He was severely beaten, flogged, mocked, slapped and spit upon before being given a crown of thorns and forced to bear his own cross to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where he was crucified. Having endured all that and nearing death, he said, "It is finished."

"It is finished." The Greek word translated is tetelastai, an accounting term that means "paid in full." When Jesus uttered those words, he was declaring the debt that was owed to God was wiped away completely and forever. Not just any debt that He owed to the Father though but the debt of sin that we (you, me and all mankind) owed to the Father. Once and for all time, on that very "Good Friday", Jesus paid a debt he did not owe for a debt that we could never pay.

On this day, let us never forget, in the words of Max Lucado, that "Nails didn't hold Jesus to a cross. Love did! The sinless one took on the face of a sinner so sinners could take on the face of a saint." Oh isn't that a reason to give God our praise today! 

Heavenly Father, thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ-one so great that it is hard to grasp. Help us to comprehend how deep your love is for us that we might be forever grateful striving to live our lives worthy of the sacrifice that was made at Calvary. And help us to always remember that it's only by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb, that our sins have been wiped clean and we can have eternal life with You. And help us to be bold and share that Good News with everyone we know!! It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

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The Wonderful Cross-Phillips, Craig and Dean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXaLgqMj88s