Finally

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!"

Patience is quite simply not my strongest suit. How I long for the day when I get home on a regular basis when the chores are done and all of our kids treat their mother and I with the proper respect out of the gladness of their hearts. Until that time, we must suffer through the huffing, puffing, pouting and rebellion. As a father, you can get a small sense of how God sees the actions of mankind, as measures of mercy and discipline are required to shape your children. The process is a slow and painful one that forces me to my knees in prayer for guidance. I believe it is when we are on our knees that we can fully appreciate that same picture of a divinely patient father looking for righteous worship from mankind.

Throughout the Old testament, God is quoted many times saying things like "Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me" and " I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6) to a people who were steeped in religion, but had no desire to worship. This constant theme of a righteous God scanning the Earth looking for righteous worship and finding men worshipping themselves while patronizing the laws of God builds a thick tension between man and his maker. God is simply wanting to draw men into His Glory, while men are quite content in their own. The Father knows they need His healing and mercy, but His created beings are too blinded by their own sin to see their own need, so they save their passion and desire for sinful acts of rebellion rather than God.

Perhaps the greatest words spoken by a person (who was also fully God), were Jesus' words above as He folds His life into the Father's hands on the Cross. Finally a man whose life, work and sacrifice fully pleased and satisfied the Father's appetite to be delighted in. As His flesh was torn into as the passover lamb was slaughtered, those who he calls gain access to the Father by faith with a true Heart. Hebrews 10 says that Jesus' work on the cross is a one time permanent, perfect offering that ratifies a peace treaty between God and man. As we realize the work is Christ's, and not ours, we have confidence to draw near to the father as we are changed into His nature through his spirit. What a relief this is when we can fold our life into such a loving Father's hands. What a picture of us gaining relation to the Father through the opened wounds of the Son. What a gift to have the Holy Spirit change our passions and desires from rebellion to right worship of a God who would allow His Son's sacrifice due to our ineptness to please Him, as we wander away from Him seeking sin. Praise God for the Son's identity and work on our behalf. Do you sense it? Do you rest in that? Do you boldly draw near to God firmly clutching the identity of Christ as the basis of your acceptance?

That tension between God and man and its resolution in the Cross is the core message of the Gospel. If that righteous work of Jesus on the cross is not what has your mind, soul and heart captivated as you read this then what are you waiting for? What is it you are worshipping?