"Into Your hands I commit my spirit!"
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46, ESV)
After Jesus had willingly endured horrific pain, humiliation, and suffering to overcome sin, to conquer death and darkness, he once again willing committed one more act. He committed his spirit into the Father’s hands and then he died. This is the part of the story that usually makes everyone cry in sadness, but in reality this is where true peace begins for human kind. During the entire process of conquering death and sin, Jesus was acting on our behalf. Jesus didn’t need saved—we did. Jesus was our replacement, our sacrificial lamb. He took the punishment we deserved and he was victorious over sin when we could not have been. He became our representative in order to save us. When Jesus offered his spirit into God’s hands he was also offering our spirit—the very thing that he had just defeated death to rescue.
During Jesus’ life on earth he was an example to all of us. He showed us and taught us about how to love each other, how to worship, how to teach others and how to lead others. In these last words he once again was and example and teacher, only this time he taught us about death and eternal life. It is often very scary to think of death and hell, but as a believer we have the eternal confidence that we will eternally, now and forever, be “in the Father’s hands.” After fighting a hard battle and winning Jesus found rest and peace in the Father’s hands, once again teaching us by his example.
[Devotional thought written by April Stewart]
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