“It is finished.” John 19:28-30.

Three of the most powerful words uttered by a human. Ever. 

When Jesus declares the ultimate victory as he slips into death, people watching probably didn’t fully grasp what he meant. The crowd likely thought he was giving up his life. And of course, he was. But what they didn’t know, was that this was a temporary arrangement. 

Yes, his life was finished, but so was the battle between good and evil, sin and righteousness, enslavement, and freedom. 

How are you at starting and completing tasks? I’m great at starting them. Truly. I could be professional project starter. Finishing…erm, less so. I get through the first flush of excitement at emptying something or tearing something down and then buying whatever I need to put everything back together and them my steam runs out. Case in point, we moved into our current (somewhat tired and unloved, funny shaped) military family accommodation eighteen months ago. Guys, I think I’m finally done getting everything where I want it. But it took that long. In my defense, this was a series of projects, sometimes overlapping, a bit like Tetris meets Home Makeover, hosted by Marie Condo and the cast of the Home Edit. 

And this was just arranging furniture and storing books. Okay I shouldn’t dismiss the scope of that task. I’m a writer, I have a book problem. My husband is a pilot. He has more books than I do. About planes. And pilots. Then there’s the paintings. Of planes. And photographs. Of planes. Get the idea? I digress. 

Facing down death

My task has been so miniscule compared to what Jesus finished. He faced down sin and death. Looked it square in the face and didn’t flinch. Me on the other hand, at times, despaired. I thought we’d never make this place with its still moldy grout and stained toilets, feel like somewhere we belonged. But slowly, room by room and closet by closet we gained ground. 

I think that’s how Jesus sometimes works. Except his projects aren’t physical mold, but spiritual rot. And instead of it taking months or years, with him, it’s instant. We invite him in and “It is finished.” In the gospel, Jesus descended into hell, beat death then returned, victorious. And for the second time in three days, the work was finished. 

This Easter is the PERFECT time to invite Jesus to give the sin in your life to the same treatment. You only need ask.