“It is finished”, I cried out as I puffed and panted across the finish line. For 3 months I had been preparing to run in a 10 kilometer race. Early mornings. Diet changes. A fierce commitment to my goal of finishing the race well. Therefore the words “It is finished” carried deep weight and meaning. It was the fulfillment of everything that led up to the race.

When Jesus died on the cross He cried out “It is finished”; not ” I am finished” (John 19:28-30). His words, like my words after the race, carried deep weight and meaning. His words signified the fulfillment of an ancient rescue mission hatched since the dawn of time – “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.” (Isaiah 53:5)

With His final breath Jesus screamed out “It is finished.” What was finished? What did the brutal and unjust crucifixion of an innocent man (who was God) mean? Sin was defeated. Sin is when our heart and hands do not obey God's command. Sin is the sickness that runs rampant in the human heart. Therefore, our need to work to deal with our own sin was finished. Grace rained down from heaven. The days of Eden were restored. Humans could once again approach God without fear. Jesus was perfect and pure and became the ultimate sacrifice for all our sins. Yesterday's sins were wiped clean. Today's sins are gone. Tomorrow's sins have been dealt with.

As the Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Brothers and sisters, it is finished. You may already know this story but dwell on it more! Our sins – the greatest global sickness – have been healed. Praise God for He loves us. Praise God because He has not abandoned us. As we all struggle to see the light in the darkness that creeps in, remember that Jesus has forgiven you. It is finished. The sickness of your soul has been cleansed. Hold onto this promise as you sit in isolation. You do not need to do great things to be loved by God. He loves you and has forgiven you through Jesus.

Lloyd & Grace
MSI – Indonesia Field Team