Finished

About 15 years ago we met a really special friend from Kenya who moved to our quaint Michigan town to attend a mission aviation school. His name is Cleo. My girls just adored him. He had a beautiful accent and towered over us at about 6'8". Aly was adamant about only one person being at her birthday party that year and it was Cleo. He was only in the states for about a year, but he was unforgettable with his tender heart and child likeness about him.

One thing Cleo used to say that would always just crack me up is "That person is unfinished". He would say it referring to all types: the grumpy person, the foolish acting person, the naughty child not to mention Jason when he would say or do things to make us roll our eyes. I love the line though because really we are all unfinished. Philippians 1:6 says that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Jesus Christ returns.  We won't be finished, complete or done until the day that we see Jesus face to face when our life here on earth is finished.

On this day almost 2000 years ago Jesus labored to utter His final words from the cross, "It is finished" The world went dark and silent...A holy Eclipse. It should've been me. I have a debt of sin. I deserve the punishment, but He said, "Let me". He finished the work that gives us life by paying our debt, by taking the punishment we so deserve. He finished it. We don't have to do more. We can't do more. 

My life is so so good because of Him. Not without heartache, but in the heartache He holds us. I'm not without sin, but in my sin He forgives and restores. Not without the mundane, but in the mundane He gives purpose. Not without hard days, but in it all I can rest in the peace and joy He gives. That's part of the finishing: those days that feel empty and incomplete He completes them and gives meaning.

Jesus died. But because He defeated death by raising to life three days later we only have to receive that beautiful priceless gift by admitting our own sin and surrendering our lives to Him. Without question this is the best decision I have ever made: Allowing the death of Jesus to do a finishing work in me.