“By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words, he breathed his last.” Luke 23: 44-46 NLT
When I started reading Luke 23 verses 44-46, it was just depressing. The scene is dark. It was noon but darkness had fallen across the whole land. The light from the sun was gone. It was the end of Jesus’ life here on earth and creation knew it.
Have you been there? When life knocks the wind out of your lungs and the darkness creeps in? You didn't make the team. Diagnosis: cancer. Infertility. No heartbeat. Death of a parent. Infidelity. The list goes on and on. We have been there and this broken world spares no one. There is unfortunately a club for grief. It's not exclusive and it's growing daily. Jesus is in that grief club. He is actually the president.
Almost four months ago we lost our third daughter at just 24 weeks. We walked through the doors of grief and I was at the end of myself. My sweet Jesus put his scarred hand on my shoulder and said, ”You’ll learn that grief does not always lead to despair, rather grief could be the very tool that leads you to hope. I’ve already been there and I have made a way.” No matter how broken you’re feeling in the moment, Jesus was broken for you so you can know that you will never face any heartache alone. (John 1:5)
Jesus’ action and words on the cross are a key to unlocking that realization of hope in your heart. I love the NLT version of Jesus’ last words on the cross;
“Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words, he breathed his last.”
The different versions say, “Jesus shouted”, “Jesus called out with a loud voice” or “Jesus called loudly”. Was it desperation or passion or both that made Jesus so loud here? I do not know. But He. Called. Out. Jesus knew he was at the end of himself and he called out to his Father (remember Jesus was fully human and fully God but he never played his “God card”). He entrusted his spirit which is a reference to Psalm 31:5,
“I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.”
Jesus coming to the end of himself, pouring out and committing his spirit to the Father was the beginning of salvation. He made his soul an offering to God. He entrusted his spirit into the divine care and protection of his Father. Jesus surrendered himself and breathed his last. The veil was torn in two. Jesus came to the end of himself and tore through the barrier so we could also lay our spirit, our grief, our pride, all of who we are at his feet over and over and over again. Jesus showed the way and made the way. He is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)
When we come to the end, the end of ourselves, that is when His power prevails. The darkness will be overcome and redemption is realized. Thank you Jesus for your example of laying our spirit down and crying out to our Father. No matter what our fear says, He is faithful. This Palm Sunday I pray we stand in awe of the few words our Savior chose to speak on his road to death. We stand in the promise that, though the scene looked depressing and dark, there is beauty at the end of our Human Jesus. We stand in hope because we know the story is not over.
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