Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

Reading From John 19:23-42

“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

The Lord Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He personified the promises of God. Our God is faithful to His Word and He made good on His Word by doing everything He said He would do.

Just before He died, He said “it is finished.” Though He had never sinned, all the sins of the world had been placed upon His shoulders and He paid our penalty for us. Victory over sin and the grave is ours because of what the Lamb of God did for us. It is done. There is nothing that I could ever do that would add to what Jesus did.

So what then is to be my response to His atoning sacrifice? I choose to believe in Him and His Word, confess I am a sinner in need of His underserved favor, turn away from living for myself and turn toward the light of His love and truth, receiving Him as Savior and Lord. He is faithful to then transform my heart and life from ugliness to beauty, darkness to light, death to life.

His Presence within me and the workings of His grace, mercy and love are transformative and His Spirit produces good fruit in my life. Instead of living for myself, I show my love for Him by loving others and loving myself in the ways He modeled during His life on Earth. This is not earning salvation, sanctification and glorification by religious rituals and good deeds for I am saved on the merits of Christ rather than my own. It is expressing love for Him by yielding to Him working in and through me to do His will for His glory and my good.

“Thank You Jesus for not treating me as my sins deserve but according to Your great love. You are a kind and merciful God. Help to follow Your example of life and godliness. May I rest in the peace of Your forgiveness knowing that it is finished. In the Name of Jesus I pray these things, Amen.”

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peacethrough his blood, shed on the cross.—Colossians 1:15-20